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I 


PROCEEDINGS  AND  ORDINANCES 


OF   THE 


PRIVY  COUNCIL  OF  ENGLAND. 


VOLUME  VI. 


22  HENRY  VI.     MCCCCXLIIL 


TO 


39  HENRY  VI.    MCCCCLXI. 


EDITED  BY 

Sir  HARRIS   NICOLAS, 

Cmancellor    and   Knight   Commander   of   the   Order    of 

Saint  Michael  and  Saint  George. 


vp  PRINTED  BY  COMMAND 


HIS    MAJESTY    KING    WILLIAM    IV. 

IN  PUR8UANCB  OP  AN  ADDRESS  OP 
THB  BOVSB  OF  COMMONS  OF  GttSAT  BHITAIN ; 
AJTB  VXOSm  TWI  OlASCTiei*  ov 

TUB    COMMISSIONERS    ON   THB   PUBLIC  RECOBDS 

OF    THB   KINGDOM. 


1837. 


^  /«?^  % 


<^^'-tc  t'e-jyi'     '.r^ :'jf}r-^e  /^i  f-^c 


.-/ 


RECORD    COMMISSION, 

MoanJi  1831. 


THIS  BOOK 


IS  TO   BE 


PERPETUALLY  PRESERVED 


IN 


THE  LIBRARY  OF   HARVARD  UNIVERSITY. 


C.  P«  CoOPER> 

Jpril  1837.  Sec.    Cam,   Pub.  Rec, 


A 


COMMISSIONERS 

ON 

THE  PUBLIC  RECORDS  OP   THE  KINGDOM, 

APPOINTED  BY 

HIS    MAJESTY'S   COMMISSION 

or  THE 

\2ih  rf  March  1831. 


HIS  ORACB  THE  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CAMTBRBUBY. 

THS  RIOHT  HONOUBABLB  LORD  BROUGHAM  axd  VAUX. 

THB  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  SBCRBTART  OF  STATE  FOR  THE  HOME 

DEPARTMEMT. 
THB  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  COMMONS. 
THS  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  CHANCELLOR  OF  THE  EXCHEQUER. 
THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  ROLLS. 
THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  LORD  CLERK  REGISTER  OF  SCOTLAND. 

THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THE  EARL  OF  ABERDEEN,  K.T. 

THB  RIGHT  REVEREND  THE  LORD  BISHOP  OF  LLANDAFF. 

THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  THOMAS  ORENYILLS. 

THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  CHARLES  WATKIN  WILUAMS  WYNN,  M.  P. 

THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  HENRT  HOBHOUSE. 

THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  MR.  BARON  PARKE. 

THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  MR.  JUSTICE  BOSANQUET. 

SIB  ROBERT  HARRY  INGLIS^  BART.,  M.  P. 

XOUI8  HAYES  PETIT,  ESQUIRE. 

BEHRY  BELLENDEN  KER,  ESQUIRE. 

HENRY  HALLAM,  ESQUIRE. 

JOHN  ALLEN,  ESQUIRE. 

EDWARD  PROTHBROB,  ESQUIRE. 

EDWARD  VERNON  UTTERSON,  ESQUIRE. 

WILLIAM  BROUGHAM,  ESQUIRE. 


CHARLES  PURTON  COOPER,  ESQUIRE.  SECRETARY. 


PREFACE. 


It  was  stated  in  the  Preface  to  the  First  Volume, 

that  this  work  would  contain  such  Proceedings  of 
the  King's  Council  from  the  time  of  King  Kichard 
the  Second  to  the  close  of  the  reign  of  King  Henry 
the  Sixth,  as  are  preserved  in  the  British  Museum ; 
and  this  volume,  which  is  the  last  of  that  series,  con- 
sists of  the  Minutes  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Privy 
Council  between  the  26th  of  August,  22  Hen.  VI. 
1443,  and  the  28th  of  January,  39  Hen.VL  1460. 

The  General  Register,  or,  as  it  was  termed, 
"  Book  of  the  Council,"  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  continued  after  the  13th  Hen.VL  1435;  and 
from  that  time  until  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of 
King  Henry  the  Eighth  no  regular  record  of  its 
Proceedings  is  preserved ;  and  all  which  can  be  done 
is,  therefore,  to  collect  the  few  scattered  papers 
that  are  now  extant. 

Though  by  no   means   so   numerous   or   im-* 
portant  as  might  be  expected,  many  of  the  articles 
in  the  following   sheets  are,  nevertheless,  of  con- 

voL.  VI.  a 


u  PREFACE. 

siderable  Historical  value,  and  some  of  them  tend 
to  illustrate  points  of  Constitutional  law.  Of  the 
former  as  much  will  be  said  as  may  appear  neces- 
sary to  bring  the  information  they  contain  to  the 
notice  of  Historians,  whilst  advantage  will  be  taken 
of  the  latter,  to  submit  some  remarks  on  the 
Office  of  King's  Secretary  or  Secretary  of  State, 
and  of  King's  Chamberlain,  about  which  little,  it 
may  almost  be  said  nothing,  has  hitherto  been 
written.  Although  the  same  observation  cannot 
be  applied  to  the  Great  Seal  and  to  the  King's 
other  Seals,  it  is  nevertheless  presumed  that  the 
facts  which  will  be  found  respecting  them,  and  the 
observations  which  will  be  made  on  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  Lord  Chancellor  and  Lord  Privy  Seal, 
in  reference  to  the  King's  grants,  will  fully  justify 
the  digression  on  those  subjects,  inasmuch  as  many 
of  those  facts  escaped  the  attention  of  Lord  Coke, 
Selden,  and  Prynne,  and  are  absolutely  necessary 
to  render  some  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Council 
properly  understood. 

22  Hen-Vl.  The  Only  Proceedings  of  the  Council  in  the 

22nd  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  1443,  of  any  interest, 
are  those  which  relate  to  the  affairs  of  Brittany, 
and  to  the  Earl  of  Suffolk's  appointment,  as  chief 
of  an  embassy  to  negociate  a  peace  with  France. 

Francis  duke  of  Brittany  succeeded  his  father 
John  the  Sixth,  on  the  28th  of  August  1442,  and 
he  soon  after  sent  his  brother  Giles  (who  came  to 
England  about  ten  years  before,  for  the  purpose  of 


PREFACE.  iii 

being  brought  up  with  Henry  the  Sixth*)  and  other  22  Hen.vi. 
Ambassadors  to  this  country,  to  renew  the  claim 
of  his  ancestors  to  the  Earldom  of  Richmond.^    On 
the   26th    of  August    1443,   at    Henley   on    the 
Heath,  the    King  gave  his    answers  to    the  pro- 
positions submitted  by  the  Breton  Ambassadors. 
After  expressing  his  satisfaction  at  the  arrival  of 
Giles  of  Brittany,  he  stated,  in  reply  to  the  de- 
mand that  the  Duke  should  have  the  Earldom  of 
Richmond  on  rendering  homage  for  it  by  proxy, 
that  he  had   never  before   heard   of  the  Duke's 
pretensions ;  but  that,  wishing  to  render  justice  to 
every   one,  he   would    cause    the   records   to   be 
examined,  and  if  the  claim  was  well  founded  he 
would  willingly  receive  his  homage  for  the  Earl- 
dom,   according    to    the    laws    and    customs    of 
England.     He  thanked  the  Duke    for  offering  to 
use  his  good  offices  in  promoting  a  peace  between 
this  country  and  France,  and  reminded  him,  as 
well  as  all  other  Catholic  Princes,  of  the  efforts 
which  had  been  made  by  his  father  and  himself  to 
obtain  that  object.     He  assured  him  that  he  would 
always  be  ready  to  listen  to  any  pacific  overtures  ; 
that  he    gladly  accepted   the  Duke's  mediation  ; 
and  Henry  added,  that  he  intended  to  send   his 
Ambassadors  to  France,  who  would  declare  to  him 
the  earnest  desire  which  he  felt  to  put  an  end  to 

1  Vide  Proceedings  of  the  Privy  Council^  voLiv.  pp.xlizy  Ixxviii,  128, 
151,  181;  and/>0«fea,  p.  16.    Foedera,  voL  xL  p.  48. 

2  Vide  Proceedings  of  the  Privy  Council,  vol.  i.  pp.  6,  17,  37,  4S-45, 
47,  49,  64,  91 . 

a  2 


iv  PREFACE. 

^  Hen.vi-    the  war,  promising,  in  the  event  of  peace,  that  the 

Duke  should  be  honorably  included  in  the  treaty. 

To  the  Duke  of  Brittany's  demand  for  restitu- 
tion of  seizures  made  by  the  English  from  the 
Bretons,  the  King  replied,  that  he  had  received 
repeated  complaints  from  his  subjects  of  the  aggres- 
sions of  the  Bretons,  about  which  he  had  often 
written  to  the  late  Duke,  as  well  as  to  himself,  but 
that  he  had  not  heard  of  any  satisfaction  having 
been  rendered  for  them ;  and  that  though  three 
years  before  Commissioners  were  appointed  on 
both  sides  to  settle  these  matters,  nothing  had 
been  done  on  the  part  of  the  Duke.  Nevertheless, 
Henry  proposed  that  Commissioners  should  again 
be  appointed,  and  that  proclamations  should  be 
immediately  issued  in  all  the  sear-ports  of  their 
respective  dominions,  forbidding  their  subjects 
respectively,  to  offer  any  molestation  or  injury  to 
those  of  the  other  party.* 

Some  weeks  afterwards,  the  King  informed 
the  Breton  Ambassadors  that  he  had  caused  all  the 
records  to  be  carefully  examined  respecting  the 
Earldom  of  Richmond,  and  that  it  clearly  ap- 
peared that  it  had  been  held  by  King  Edward 
the  Third,  who  bestowed  it  upon  his  son  the 
Duke  of  Lancaster,  by  whom  it  was  enjoyed  for 
some  time,  and  who,  for  certain  considerations, 
restored  it  to  King  Richard  the  Second ;  that  it 
was  assigned  by  that  Monarch  to  Anne  his  Queen 


pp.  Uy^postea. 


PREFACE.  V 

as  part  of  her  dowry,  and  that  on  her  decease  it  22  Hen.VL 
reverted  to  the  Crown,   in   the   person   of  King 
Henry  the  Fourth ;  but  that  if,  nevertheless,  the 
Duke  of  Brittany  could  shew  a  right  title  to  the 
Earldom,  ftdl  justice  should  be  done  to  him.     To 
the  Duke's  proposal,  that  his  brother  Giles  should 
represent  him  in  performing  homage  for  that  ter- 
ritory, Henry  replied  that  he  was  very  desirous  of 
shewing   the   Duke  every  favour  which  was  pro- 
perly  in  his   power,   but   that,  according   to  the 
most  ancient  laws  and  customs  in  England,  who- 
ever owed  him  hotnage  must  perform  it  in  person ; 
and  that  neither  he  nor  his  predecessors  had  ever 
received  it  in  any  other  manner,  even  from  their 
sons,  their  brothers,  or  the  nearest  of  their  lineage ; 
and  he  repeated  his  promise  that  Brittany  should 
be  included  in  any  treaty  of  peace  with  France.  ^ 

Another  memoir  on  behalf  of  the  Duke  of 
Brittany  was  submitted  to  the  Council,  towards 
the  close  of  the  year,  which  stated  that  the  King 
of  France  had  written  to  request  that  the  Duke 
vould  be  present  when  the  Earl  of  Suffolk  and 
Henry's  other  Ambassadors  arrived,  to  assist  in 
concluding  a  peace ;  and  he  promised  him  that  he 
should  be  comprised  in  the  treaty,  and  his  rank 
guaranteed  in  the  same  manner,  as  to  other  Lords 
of  his  blood ;  but  the  Duke  said  he  had  deferred 
complying  with  the  French  Monarch's  wishes  until 
he   knew   Henry's  pleasure  on  the  subject.     The 


» pp.  7-9,  postecu 
a  3 


vi  PREFACE. 

22  Hen.vi.  Duke  of  Brittany  then  represented,  that,  notwith- 
standing the  peace,  the  Duke  of  Somerset  had 
entered  his  dominions  with  numerous  soldiers,  and 
had  committed  many  and  enormous  cruelties,  as 
though  Brittany  were  a  conquered  country,  al- 
though the  English  had  been  received  as  friends 
and  allies ;  that  they  had  pillaged  and  destroyed 
the  town  of  La  GuercheS  and  had  refused  to  quit 
Brittany  unless  the  Duke  gave  Somerset  twenty 
thousand  crowns,  of  which  sum  ten  thousand  had 
actually  been  paid,  and  bonds  granted  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  remainder  before  Christmas ;  and  the 
Duke  said  he  had  consented  to  that  agreement  only 
to  prevent  a  continuance  of  such  aggressions  on  his 
people,  hoping  that  when  the  King  became  aware 
of  the  facts  he  would  cause  restitution  to  be  made, 
inasmuch  as  such  aggressions  were  contrary  to  the 
existing  treaty.^ 

1  Vide  Lobineau*s  Histoire  de  Bretagne,  tome  i«  p.  623. 

^  pp.  11-13,  postea,  A  letter,  dated  on  the  2nd  of  December,  from  the 
Council  to  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  which  was  sent  by  Garter  King  of 
Arms,  occurs  among  the  preceding  documents^  and  has  therefore  been 
printed  with  them  (p,  13,  postea) ^  but  it  is  not  certain  that  it  belongs 
to  the  same  year ;  and  as  the  subject  to  which  it  relates  is  not  noticed  in 
the  other  letters  and  proceedings,  it  is  more  likely  to  be  a  copy  of  a 
letter  written  in  December,  11  Hen.  VI.,  1433,  when  it  was  intended  to 
send  Garter  to  the  Duke  of  Brittany.  Vide  Proceedings  of  the  Council, 
voL  iv.  pp.  136,  146,  147. 

The  Council  complained  in  that  letter,  in  the  strongest  terms,  of  the 
outrages  which  the  Duke's  people  had  committed  on  the  King's  English 
and  French  subjects,  both  by  land  and  sea,  especially  on  those  employed 
in  fishing ;  that  whenever  they  found  a  vessel  with  only  a  few  persons  on 
board,  they  entered  her,  and  either  cruelly  murdered  the  crew,  threw  them 
overboard,  or  placed  them  in  such  close  confinement  (*'  crueuses,  horri- 


PREFACE,  vii 

TTie    Council    took   the   Duke   of  Brittany's  22  Hen.vi. 

Teinonstrance   into  consideration  on   the    12th  of 

December.     In  reply  to  his  intimation   that  the 

King  of  France  wished  him  to  be  present  during 

the  negociation  for  peace,  they  referred  him  to 

his  Majesty's  former  letter  on  the  subject ;   but 

that  letter,  which  was  not  written  until  the  17th  of 

the  same   month,  contains  little  besides  verbose 

assurances  that  the  Duke  should  be  included  in  the 

treaty  with  France/     His  complaints  against  the 

Duke  of  Somerset  were   sent  to  that  nobleman, 

*^  Ues,  et  esiroittes  prisons  ")  that  some  died  of  the  excessive  hardships 
to  which  they  were  exposed,  whilst  others  offered  such  exorbitant  ransoms 
to  escape  from  their  torments  that  it  was  impossible  to  raise  the  money, 
and  that  on  failing  to  pay  it,  they  were  dragged  through  the  streets  and 
public  places,  amidst  the  jeers  of  the  populace,  and  then  inhumanly  put 
to  death ;  that  the  holy  sacraments  had  been  denied  to  those  who  died, 
and  their  bodies  refused  Christian  burial ;  that  the  survivors  were  so 
heavily  ironed  that  their  limbs  had  mortified ;  and,  in  short,  that  cruelties 
had  been  perpetrated  which  Christians  had  not  even  met  with  from 
Saracens.  The  Council  expressed  their  opinion  that  the  Duke's  subjects 
had  consented  to  the  peace  for  their  own  advantage  only,  and  with  the 
view  of  deceiving  otheis ;  that  the  King  did  not  suppose  that  he  could 
he  aware  of  these  excesses,  because  it  would  tend  too  greatly  to  his  dis- 
honor if  he  knew  of  them  and  did  not  provide  a  remedy ;  that  the 
Council  could  not  possibly  submit  to  such  conduct  without  dishonor  to 
thdr  Sovereign  and  his  realm,  and  offence  to  the  Almighty,  because  the 
blood  of  the  victims  cried  to  them  unceasingly  for  vengeance.  The 
Dnke  was  therefore  requested  immediately  to  inform  the  Council,  by  the 
bearer,  whether  those  facts  had  been  done  with  his  knowledge  and 
assent ;  and,  if  not,  that  he  would  with  all  haste  take  such  measures  for 
preventing  the  repetition  of  them  as  would  be  satisfactory  to  God  and 
their  Sovereign ;  and  he  was  desired  to  give  his  answer  so  speedily,  as  it 
might  appease  the  people  of  this  country,  or  produce  such  arrangements 
as  God  might  suggest  (pp.  IS-I61  postea.) 
^ 'p.20^ poHea. 

a  4 


viii  PREFACE. 

22  Hen-vi.  with  the  expression  of  the  King's  serious  displea- 
sure; and  he  was  commanded  to  repair  all  the 
injuries  which  had  been  committed  by  his  troops, 
and  forbidden,  in  the  most  positive  manner,  to 
permit  them  to  be  repeated.^ 

In  these  communications  with  the  Duke  of 
Brittany,  it  seems  to  have  been  the  policy  of  the 
Government  to  conciliate  him  as  much  as  possible ; 
and,  with  the  intention  of  attaching  him  still 
more  closely  to  the  interests  of  England,  the 
Council  were  extremely  anxious  to  secure  the 
services  of  his  brother  Giles.  Letters  were 
written  by  the  King  to  that  personage  ;  and  Lord 
Sudeley  was  sent  to  him  with  various  offers  to 
induce  him  to  comply  with  their  wishes.  He  ac- 
cordingly came  to  England,  and  soon  after  gave 
a  written  reply  to  their  propositions.  To  the  in- 
quiry as  to  what  services  he  would  render  the 
King,  he  said  that  it  was  not  for  him  to  choose, 
but  for  his  Majesty  to  command.  Being  asked 
whether  he  would  serve  the  King  in  peace  and  war, 
he  declared  that  he  should  be  happy  to  serve  him 
in  any  manner,  saving  his  own  honor,  provided  a 
suitable  maintenance  were  granted  to  him,  so  that 
it  might  not  be  necessary  for  him  to  seek  one  else- 
where ;  for  if  he  once  took  up  arms  for  the  King 
he  should  be  precluded  from  obtaining  support 
from  other  Princes.  He  expressed  much  surprise 
at  its  being  proposed  to  him  to  swear  to  certain 


^  ]^  23,  postea. 


PREFACE.  ix 

strong  obligations,  because,  he  said,  that  having  22Hen.vi. 
alwajs  manifested  the  best  intentions  towards  the 
King,  and  having  served  him  without  pay,  the  more 
Henry  bestowed  upon  him  the  more  obliged  he 
should  consider  himself;  adding,  that  he  desired 
to  serve  him  more  in  deeds  than  in  words.  He 
said,  that  although  the  offers  which  had  been  made 
to  him  were  greater  than  his  merits,  they  were 
nevertheless  insufficient  to  maintain  his  rank,  with 
regard  either  to  the  King's  honor  or  his  own,  as 
he  should  be  compelled  to  relinquish  all  other 
advantages ;  but '  that,  in  submission  to  Henry's 
pleasure,  and  to  gratify  his  desire  to  see  his  Mar- 
jesty,  he  had  purposely  come  to  England ;  and  he 
concluded  by  entreating  a  speedy  decision  upon 
these  matters.^ 

The  subject  having  been  taken  into  considera- 
tion by  the  Council,  an  annual  pension  of  one 
thousand  marks  was  assigned  to  him ;  and  a  gold 
cup  of  the  value  of  one  hundred  marks,  filled  with 
one  hundred  pounds,  was  presented  to  him  by  the 
King's  express  commands ;  a  silver  cup,  one  hun- 
dred crowns,  and  a  piece  of  damask  cloth  being  at 
the  same  time  given  to  one  of  the  Duke  of  Brit- 

'  PP' ^Ih postea.  For  an  account  of  the  unhappy  fate  of  Giles 
of  Brittany,  who  became  the  victim  of  his  attachment  to  the  interests 
of  England,  see  **  L'art  de  verifier  les  Dates,"  tome  iii.  p.  908 ;  Mon- 
strelet,  ed.  1586,  tome  iii.  p.  31^;  and  the  Rolls  of  Parliament,  vol.  v. 
p.  179.  MoDstrelet  states  that  Giles  of  Brittany  had  offended  his  brother 
the  Duke  of  Brittany  and  the  King  of  France,  by  accepting  the  Order 
of  the  Garter  from  Henry  the  Sixth ;  but  he  is  not  included  in  the  lists 
of  the  Knights  of  that  Order  by  Ashmole  or  Anstis. 


X  PREFACE. 

22  Hen.  VI.  tanv's  Ambassadors.^    As  the  claim  to  the  Earldom 

1443. 

of  Richmond  does  not  appear  to  have  been  again 
brought   forward,  the  Duke  was   probably  aware 
that  his  pretensions  would  not  be  admitted. 
1444.  It  has   long  been  known,  from  an  instrument 

printed  by  Rymer,  that  William  de  la  Pole,  Earl  of 
Suffolk,  one  of  the  most  eminent  statesmen  of  the 
time,  either  felt,  or  pretended  to  feel,  great  reluc- 
tance in  undertaking  the  management  of  the  nego- 
ciation  for  a  peace  with  France,  to  which  embassy 
he  was  appointed  on  the  11th  of  February  1444^; 
and  that  he  obtained  letters  patent  on  the  20th  of 
that  month,  pardoning  every  error  of  judgment 
which  he  might  commit  on  the  occasion.^  Histo- 
rians have  imputed  Suffolk's  conduct,  not,  as  he 
professed,  to  a  sense  of  his  own  inability,  but  to 
the  fear  of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester's  resentment, 
or  more  probably,  to  apprehensions  of  certain  arti- 
cles of  a  treaty  concluded  by  Henry  the  Fifth  and 
confirmed  by  Parliament,  which  made  it  a  high 
offence  in  any  man  to  conclude  a  peace  with 
Charles,  except  with  the  consent  of  the  three 
estates  of  both  realms.*  The  Minutes  of  the 
Council  of  the  1st  of  February,  eleven  days  be- 
fore Suffolk's  appointment,  contain,  however,  the 
reasons  which  he  himself  assigned  for  his  un- 
willingness  to    be    one    of   the  Ambassadors   to 


1  pp.  1 6, 1 7,  postea.         2  Foedera,  voL  xi.  pp.  60,  63.  ^  Ibid,  p.  53. 

4  Lingard's  History  of  England,  vol.  v.  p.  57.  This  provision  was 
declared  null  and  void  by  Parliament  in  the  23rd  Hen.  VI.  Rot.  Pari., 
vol.  V.  pp.  102,  103. 


PREFACE.  xi 

France.  Addressing  himself  to  the  King,  in  a  22  Hen.vi. 
Council  held  at  Westminster,  at  which  Gloucester 
and  nearly  all  the  other  members  were  present, 
Suffolk  reminded  his  Majesty  that  he  had  become 
known  to  the  French  Princes,  and  other  personages 
of  distinction,  when  he  was  a  prisoner  in  France, 
and  that  he  had  had  many  conversations  with  the 
Duke  of  Orleans  whilst  the  Duke  was  in  his  cus- 
tody  in  England,  which  he  thought  rendered  it 
improper  that  he  should  be  employed  in  the  pro- 
posed embassy,  especially  as  the  French  themselves 
had  suggested  his  appointment  to  it  He  said  that 
these  facts  had  exposed  him  to  public  animadver- 
sion in  London,  since  it  was  known  that  he  was 
selected  for  that  mission ;  that  some  Lords  of  great 
influence  and  property  had  been  employed  on 
similar  negociations,  who  had  performed  their  duty 
with  wisdom  and  prudence,  but  who  had  never- 
theless been  censured  by  the  people,  as  well  as  in 
Parliaments  and  elsewhere,  "  full  heavily  to  their 
"  great  charge  and  burthen  in  all ;"  and  that  if  this 
were  to  happen  to  him  it  would  be  insupportable, 
on  account  of  the  difference  between  their  "estates" 
and  his  own. 

The  Lord  Chancellor,  by  the  King's  com- 
mand, then  acquainted  Suffolk  that  it  was  his 
Majesty's  pleasure  he  should  proceed  on  the  em- 
bassy; upon  which  he  requested  that,  since  such 
was  the  King's  orders,  he  might  be  associated 
with  "  sad  and  circumspect  men,"  and  with  such  as 
could  and  would  "  bear  with  him  for  the  King's 


xii  PREFACE. 

22  Hen. VI.  u  worship,"  SO  that  the  French  might  perceive,  that 
though  the  embassy  consisted  only  "  of  men  of  easy 
"  degree  and  few  in  number,"  yet  that  they  pos- 
sessed the  necessary  ability.  He  further  desired,  in 
the  event  of  the  negociation  not  being  successful, 
"  that  therefore  no  charge  be  laid  upon  him,  neither 
"  that  he  therefore  run  into  any  danger  or  heaviness 
^*  of  the  King,  nor  on  any  other  behalf  nor  wise, 
«*  but  that  he  may  stand  alway  in  the  King's  good 
"  conceit  and  grace."  The  Chancellor  replied, 
by  the  King's  command  and  with  the  advice  of 
the  Council,  that  in  case  the  mission  failed,  no 
charge  should  be  laid  by  his  Majesty,  his  heirs, 
councillors,  officers,  or  any  of  his  people,  upon 
Suffolk,  his  heirs  or  executors,  nor  upon  any 
person  going  in  the  said  embassy ;  "  neither  that 
"  therefore  he  run  into  any  danger  or  heaviness  of 
"  him,  nor  on  any  other  behalf  nor  wise,  and  will 
"  that  in  this  behalf  he  should  stand  in  his  good 
"  conceit  and  grace ;  and  furthermore  the  King 
"  willed  him  and  commanded  such  charge  as  he 
"  would  lay  upon  him  that  he  should  receive  it, 
"  take  it,  and  execute  it."  Suffolk  then  thanked 
the  King,  said  he  would  obey  his  commands,  and 
desired  letters  patent  to  that  effect,  which  were 
accordingly  granted.^ 

This  document  throws  some  light  upon  a 
transaction  which  has  hitherto  been  very  mysterious. 
It  is  evident  that  the  people  disapproved  of  Suf- 


1  pp.  33-35,  postea. 


PREFACE.  xiii 

folk's  being  chosen  to  conduct  the  treaty,  on  ac-  22  Hen.VL 

count  of  his  supposed  connection  with  the  French 

interests,  and  that  he  fully  expected  the  obloquy 

by  which  he  was  afterwards  assailed  for  consenting 

to  do  so.     Dr.  Lingard's  conjecture*  does  not  seem 

well  grounded,  because  Suffolk  did  not  allude  to  the 

Act  of  Parliament  before  mentioned ;  and  the  Duke 

of  Gloucester  appears  not  only  to  have  approved 

of  his  appointment,  but  to  have  joined  with  the 

other  members  of  the  Council  in  pressing  it  upon 

him.     The  most  curious  fact  connected  with  the 

affair  relates,  however,  to  Henry's   marriage.     It 

does  not  appear  from  their  Commission  that  the 

Ambassadors  were  to  negociate  an  alliance  of  that 

nature,   nor  is  it  expressly  adverted  to  either  in 

Suffolk's    address    to     the    Council,    or    in    the 

King's  answers  to  his  several  requests.     But  there 

can  be  little  doubt  that  the  "charge"  which  the 

King  specially  commanded  him  to  "receive,  take, 

"  and  execute,"  and  which  is  obscurely  alluded  to 

in  the  Chancellor's  answers,  referred  to  the  marriage, 

because  in  the  letters  patent  which  were  issued  to 

Suffolk,  the  following  words  occur  :  "  Volumus  quod 

"  ob  integerrimum  illud  et  singulare  nostrse  mentis 

*'  desiderimn  ad  bonum  pacis,  personceque  nostrce 

"  matrimonium^^^  &c.,  a  fact  which,  as  Rapin^  has 

well   observed,  shews  that  the  accusation  subse* 

quently  brought  against    Suffolk,   of  having  con- 


1  p.  X,  anUa*  ^  Foedera,  voL  zi.  p.  53. 

3  Ed.  1732,  voL  L  p.  568. 


xiv  PREFACE. 

22Hen.vi.  tracted  that  alliance  without  sufficient  authority, 
was  unfounded.  Nor  was  it  one  of  the  crimes  of 
which  he  was  impeached  by  the  Commons,  in  1450, 
though  he  was  then  accused  by  them  of  having 
"  above  his  instructions  and  powers"  promised  to 
the  King  of  Sicily,  the  Queen's  father,  the  deliver- 
ance of  the  provinces  of  Maunce  and  Maine.  ^ 

It  is  far  from  improbable  that  Suffolk  was 
really  unwilling  to  undertake  the  mission  to  France, 
on  account  of  the  suspicion  which  existed  of  his 
bias  towards  the  French  interests ;  that  he  foresaw 
the  King's  marriage  with  Margaret  of  Anjou  would 
not  be  popular  in  this  country ;  and  that  he  was 
aware  his  connection  with  the  alliance  would  in- 
crease the  clamour  against  him. 

Although  that  affair  was  only  indirectly  alluded 
to  in  the  Privy  Council,  Suffolk  nevertheless  con- 
trived to  get  it  expressly  mentioned  in  the  patent, 
thereby  securing  himself  from  danger  for  having 
negociated  it.  The  Council  seem,  therefore,  to 
have  determined  upon  the  measure,  though  the 
whole  obloquy  was  thrown  upon  the  agent  whom 
they  employed ;  and  Suffolk  displayed  sagacity  and 
prudence  in  endeavouring  to  cast  the  responsibility 
upon  those  who  had  sanctioned,  even  if  they  had 
not  originally  proposed  the  marriage.  If  it  be 
admitted  that  Suffolk  did  not  act  without  authority, 
it  is  reasonable,  (in  ignorance  of  his  instructions,) 
to  infer  that  he  had  also  the  necessary  powers  for 

»  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  V.  p.  178. 


PREFACE.  XV 

accomplishing  the  object,  upon  the  terms  which  22Hen.vi. 
were  afterwards  made  the  grounds  of  his  impeach-  ***' 
ment  His  caution  at  the  commencement  of  the 
mission  was  strikingly  displayed ;  and  it  is  unlikely 
that  he  should  have  afterwards  committed  the  im- 
prudence,  if  not  the  treason,  which  has  been 
imputed  to  him. 

A  truce  was  concluded  with  France  at  Tours 
on  the  28th  of  May  1444,  to  subsist  from  the 
1st  of  June  in  that  year  to  the  1st  of  April  1446, 
in  .which,  according  to  the  promise  of  Henry's 
ministers^,  Brittany  was  comprised ;  though,  ac- 
cording to  the  Historian  of  that  province^,  they 
made  a  pretence  to  include  the  Duke,  as  a  subject 
of  the  English  Crown,  with  the  view  of  establishing 
a  right  to  the  Duchy.^ 

In  October  1444,  Henry  was   contracted  by  2SHen.vi. 
proxy  at  Nancy  to  Margaret  of  Anjou,  daughter  of     ^^^^ 
Rene  titular  King  of  Sicily  and  Jerusalem  ;  and  Suf- 
folk, who  had  been  raised  to  a  Marquisate  on  the 
14th  of  September  preceding,  was  his  Sovereign's 
representative  on  the  occasion.   Towards  the  end  of 
the  year.  Commissioners   were  sent  into  several 
counties    to  borrow  money  for  the    expences  of 
conducting  the  Queen  to  England,   and   for   her 
coronation/     Suffolk  escorted  the  royal  bride  to      1445. 
this  country  in  April  in  the  following  year.     She 

1  p.  ▼,  aniecL  ^  Lobineau,  tome  L  p.  62S. 

3  PiBdera,  toL  xL  p.  64. 

^  See  their  Instructions  in  pp.  S22-3259  poUea. 


xvi  PREFACE. 

23Hen.vi.  WES  married  to  the  King  in  person  at  Titchfield 
on  the  22nd  of  that  month^,  and  was  crowned  at 
Westminster  on  the  30th  of  May, 

The  Marquess  of  Suffolk,  not  content  with  the 
protection  which  he  had  already  received,  induced 
the  Commons  to  petition  the  King,  on  the  4th  of 
June  1445,  in  his  favor.  After  pointing  out  his 
eminent   services,  particularly  in   concluding  the 

recent  truce  with  France,  in  promoting  the  King's 

^---  —    -       -.. 

1  It  appears  from  the  following  curious  letter  from  the  King  to  the 
Lord  Chancellor,  that  the  Queen  was  taken  ill  upon  her  arrival  in 
England : 

"  By  the  King. 
"  Right  reverend  fader  in  God^  right  trusty  and  right  wel- 
"  beloved  *  We  grete  you  wel  *  and  suppose  that  ye  have  wel  in 
^^  knowleche  j  how  that  oure  moost  dere  and  best  beloved  wyf  the 
^^  Quene  is  yet  seke  of  the  labour  and  indisposicon  of  the  see  ^ 
^^  by  occasion  of  which  the  pokkes  been  broken  out  upon  hir, 
*^  for  which  cause  we  may  not  in  oure  own  personne  holde  the 
<^  feste  of  Saint  Greorge  at  oure  castel  of  Wyndesore  *  upon  Saint 
"  Georgf  day  next  comyng,  Wherfore  we  wol  J>*  ye  make  owt 
<^  our  tres  of  comission  *  under  oure  greei  seel  in  due  forme  yeving 
"  power  by  the  same  unto  oure  right  trusty  and  entirely  wel- 
^^  beloved  cousins  the  Duke  of  Excestre  and  Bukf  j  and  eyther  of 
<^  thejmfi  *  to  holde  the  sayd  feste  in  oure  behalve  at  \e  day  and 
"  place  abovesaydj  with  othr  lordes  1  knightf  of  the  gartier 
"  such  as  we  have  comanded  to  be  there  ^  and  that  herinne  be  no 
^^  defaulte  as  ouif  greet  trust  is  in  you.  Yeven  under  our  signet 
"  at  Southwyk  4  the  xvj.  day  of  Avril. 

•*  To  the  right  reverend  &der  in  God  oure  right  trusty 

"  1  right  welbeloved  tharchebissop  of  Canterbury  * 

"  oure  Chancettr  of  Englande." 

Ex.  Orig.  in  Turr.  London.   Thb  letter  is  printed  in  the  introduction  to 
Anstis'  Register  of  the  Order  of  the  Garter. 


PREFACE.  xvii 

marriage,  and  in  conducting  the  Queen^  at  his  S3Heii.vr. 
own  expence,  to  England,  they  prayed  the  Lords  to 
beseech  His  Majesty  to  **  repute,  accept,  declare, 
"  and  take"  him  to  his  grace ;  and  desired  that 
the  declarations  which  he  had  made  to  the  Lords 
two  days  before,  together  with  his  labours  and 
conduct,  might  be  enacted  in  that  Parliament,  "  to 
"  his  true  acquittal,  and  discharge  and  honor  of 
"  him  in  time  to  come."  The  Duke  of  Gloucester 
and  many  other  Lords  then  rose  from  their  seats, 
and  supported  the  request  of  the  Commons,  to 
which  the  King,  through  the  Chancellor,  granted 
his  most  gracious  assent ;  and  it  was  so  enacted 
accordingly.^  This  proceeding,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  solemn  and  complete  ratifications  by 
Parliament  of  the  conduct  of  a  Minister  upon 
record,  did  not,  however,  protect  him  from  im- 
peachment a  few  years  afterwards  for  the  very 
measures  which  the  Legislature  had  thus  formally 
sanctioned  and  approved. 

The  earliest  of  the  few  records  extant  of  24.Hen.v1. 
the  Proceedings  of  the  Council  in  the  24th  of  ^**^ 
Henry  VL  are  some  letters  dated  in  March  1446, 
respecting  the  conduct  of  a  Friar  of  Coventry,  of 
the  name  of  John  Bredon,  who  had  preached 
against  the  right  claimed  by  the  Prior  and  Convent 
of  the  Cathedral  Church  of  St.  Mary  in  that  City, 
that  the  bodies  of  those  who  died  within  its  precincts 


J  Rot  Pari.  voL  v.  pp.  73,  74f. 
VOL.  VI.  b 


jl^y^ll  PREiFACE* 

^  Hen.  VI.  should  be  first  brought  to  that  Church  with  "  ap- 
"  parel  of  wax,"  and  then  buried  wherever  the  de- 
ceased  might   have   directed;    and  that  the  said 
"  apparel   of  wax "  should  become  the   property 
of  the  Cathedral,     Bredon  asserted,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  all  offerings  belonged  to  those  who  ad- 
ministered the  sacraments  to  the  parishioners,  and 
that  neither  the  Pope  "  nor  all  the  world''  could 
compel  a  man  to  offer  any  thing  in  the  Cathedral 
Churchy  or  prevent  a  free  man  from  disposing  by 
his  will  of  the  lights  which  surrounded  his  corpse; 
He  therefore  advised  the  people  to  bear  the  lights 
to  whatever  Church  they  pleased,  adding  that  there 
was  not  so  "  bond "  a  city  in  England  as  Coventry 
in  that  respect,  or  so  covetous  a  place  as  the  Priory 
of  Coventry,  and  that  no  usage  could  make  a  pre- 
judicial custom  lawful.     It  seems  that  he  had  also 
attached  bills  to  the  Church  doors,  promising  to 
deliver  the  City  from  the  thraldom  of  Pharoah. 
As  soon  as  the  Council  were  apprised  of  his  con- 
duct, they  adopted  very  summary  measures  against 
him.     He  was  commanded  instantly  to  quit  Co- 
ventry, and  to  place  himself  at  the  disposition  of  his 
Superior,  who  was  directed  to  remove  him  from  his 
Convent  to  some  other  of  the  Order,  forty  or  fifty 
miles  distant,  and  to  forbid  him  from  entering  that 
City  again.      A  serjeant-at-arms    was    dispatched 
to  the  Mayor  of  Coventry,  ordering  him  to  com- 
pel the  contumelious  Friar  to  read  a  recantation, 
which  was  forwarded  by  the  same  messenger,  on 
two  festival  days,  from  the  pulpits  of  all  the  Churches 


PREFACE.  xix 

there,  on  pain  of  imprisonment  should  he  refuse,  £4Hen.vi: 

or  say  more  or  less  than  was  set  down  for  him. 

In  the  letter  to  the  Minister  Provincial  of  the  Friars 

Minors  of  England  on  that  occasion,  it  is  said  that 

the  King  was  bound  to  support  the  rights  of  the 

Cathedral  of  Coventry,  because  "  We  be  their  Sove- 

*^  reign  Lord  and  Patron,  and  forasmuch  as  We 

"  would  have  all  our  subjects  to  live  in  rest  and 

*^  peace  after  Grod's  law  and  ours,  and  nothing  to 

^  be  shewed  or  preached  unto  them  but  that  that 

^  might  sowne  [tend]  to  good,  and  be  to  rest  and 

**  weal  of  Our  people."^ 

It  having  been  determined  that  Henry  should 
proceed  to  France  in  the  ensuing  October,  to 
treat  in  person  with  Charles  for  a  final  peace  be- 
tween the  two  Countries,  Commissioners  were  sent 
into  Suffolk,  Norfolk,  £ssex,  and  Herts  in  July,  to 
raise  money  for  the  King's  expences,  he  being 
then,  as  their  instructions  state,  in  his  ^^  greatest 
^  necessity."^ 

Fragments  of  the  original  Minutes  of  the 
Council  in  the  latter  part  of  July  1446  are  pre- 
served ;  but  the  only  material  facts  shewn  by  them 
are,  that  the  citizens  of  London  had  remonstrated 
against  certain  taxes  and  other  grievances,  among 
which  was  the  erection  of  several  places  wherein 
people  played  "  at  the  ball,  cleche,  and  dice ;"  that 
the  Council  wished  the  convention  between  the 
Kings  of  England  and  France  to  be  held  on  the 

1  pp.  40A5ypMte€u 

^  pp.  46-5I9  postea ;   Vide  Foedera,  voL  xL  pp.  1S9>  150^  157. 

b  2 


XX  PREFACE. 

24  Hen.  VI.  liver  between  Maunt  and  Melant  j  that   Eleanor 

Cobham,  the  wife  of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  was 
ordered  to  be  conveyed  to  the  Isle  of  Man,  in 
custody  of  Sir  Thomas  Stanley;  that  ships  were 
impressed  for  the  King's  voyage  to  France ;  and 
that  the  Earl  of  Ormond,  who  was  accused  of 
treason  by  the  Prior  of  Kilmaine  in  Ireland^  was 
strictly  prohibited  from  going  above  forty  miles 
from  London,  without  the  King's  permission,  ex- 
cept on  a  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury,  and  he  was 
likewise  directed  to  be  ready  to  appear  before  the 
Council  whenever  be  should  be  summoned  to  do 
so,  which  directions  he  swore  to  obey.^ 

25  Hen.vi.  Upon  the  affairs  of  this  country  in  the  25th  of 
1446.      Henry  VI.  scarcely  any  information  is  afforded  by 

the  few  scanty  notices  of  the  Privy  Council  which 
have  been  collected  in  this  volume.  Towards  the 
end  of  1446,  the  public,  or  rather  the  inhabitants 
of  London,  were  deeply  interested  in  two  personal 
combats,  which  are  noticed  by  nearly  all  contem- 
porary Chroniclers.  Very  minute  particulars  of 
these  affairs^  (which,  though  not  important,  are 
nevertheless  curious  from  shewing  the  consideration 
which  was  then  attached  to  such  subjects)  occur  in 
several  documents  now  printed  from  the  originals 
in  the  British  Museum. 


1  Fabian,  ed.  181 1,  p.  618 ;  Stow,  p.  S85 ;  Chronicle  of  London,  p.  134» 
And  pottecu. 
3  pp.  50,  54,  pasiea, 
^  See  the  account  of  another  duel  in  the  Slst  Hen.  VI.  p.  129,  posiea. 


PREFACE.  xxi 

An  apprentice  to  an  armourer  of  London,  25  Hen.vi. 
having  accused  his  master  of  treason,  the  parties 
agreed  to  appeal  to  arms,  under  the  authority  of 
the  Constable  and  Earl  Marshal.  The  King  com- 
manded the  Serjeant  of  his  Armoury,  in  November 
in  that  year,  to  furnish  the  appellant  with  the  re- 
quisite weapons  and  armour ;  and  two  Knights,  two 
Esquires,  and  an  armourer  were  severally  assigned 
to  him,  and  to  the  defendant,  ^^  to  be  intendant  and 
^ .  of  council"  to  them/  The  combat  took  place  at 
Smithfield,  and  the  master  was  slain,  in  consequence 
of  his  friends  having  given  him  too  much  wine.^ 

The  other  duel  was  between  two  persons  of 
much  greater  importance  ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable 
circumstance  that  one  of  them  was  an  ecclesiastic 
of  rank.  Fitz  Thomas,  Prior  of  Kilmaine,  having 
impeached  the  Earl  of  Ormond  of  high  treason^ 
and  both  having  appealed  to  arms,  a  day  was  ap- 
pointed to  decide  the  quarrel.  In  the  mean  time 
Ormond,  who  was  then  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower, 
obtained  permission  to  remain  near  Smithfield  "  for 
"  his  breathing  and  more  ease,"  to  prepare  himself 
for  the  fight ;  and  the  Prior,  being  unused  to  mortal 
weapons,  wisely  took  lessons  in  the  art  of  defence 
of  one  Philip  Treher,  a  fishmonger  of  London, 
whose  services  were  paid  by  the  Crown.*  This 
duel  did  not,  however,  end  fatally,  for  the  King 
forbad  the  parties  to  proceed  to  extremities,  though 

1  pp.  55-57i />Mtoi. 

2  Stow'8  Chronicle,  p.  385 ;  Fabian,  p.  618 ;  Hall,  ed.  1809,  p.  207. 
*  Vide  p.  xzy  atUetu  ^  pp.  55-59,  posUa. 

b  3 


xxii  PREFACE. 

25  Hen.vi.  they  had  actually  met  for  the  purpose,  knd  took 

the  affair  into  his  own  hands. 

The  only  Minutes  of  the  Council  in  the 
1447.  year  1447  are  of  the  19th  of  March,  whence  it 
appears,  among  other  matters,  that  the  Scots  had 
broken  the  truce;  that  the  garrison  of  Berwick 
was  discontented;  and  that  the  members  of  the 
Privy  Council  were  summoned  to  be  present  when 
the  French  Ambassadors  arrived.^ 

26  Hen.vi.  No  records  of  the  Council  in  the  26th  Hen.  VI., 

1447-1448,  have   been  discovered;    and    the  few 
which  are  preserved  relating  to  the  27th  of  Henry 

27  Hen.vi.  VI.  are  by  no  means  important.     The  earliest  of 

1448.  .  . 

that  year  contain  the  answers  which  were  given,  on 
the  30th  of  October  1448,  to  some  questions  sub- 
mitted, on  the  part  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset, 
lieutenant-governor  of  France,  respecting  the  mode 
of  proceeding  in  certain  points  connected  with  the 
embassy  to  negociate  a  peace  with  Charles  the 
Seventh,  but  they  are  not  very  material.^  In  con- 
sequence of  the  aggressions  of  the  Scotch,  the 
Bishop  of  Durham,  the  Earl  of  Westmoreland,  and 
five  Barons  and  others,  were  excused,  on  the  3rd 
J  449.  of  February  1449,  from  attending  the  Parliament 
which  was  to  meet  on  the  12th  of  that  month  ;  and 
they  were  commanded  to  remain  in  the  North  for 

the  securitv  of  the  Marches.^ 

•f  _ 

Commissioners  were  sent  to  the  Duchess  of 
Burgundy,  in  March  1449,  to  remonstrate  against 


pp.  60f  Slf  posUa.  2  pp.  62,  63,  posUa.  ^  p.  65^  postea. 


PREFACE,  xxiii 

^n  ordinance  which  she  had  made,  that  no  English  27  Heii.yL: 
cloth  should  be  sold  m  her  dominions,  of  which 
serious  complaints  had  been  made  in  Parliament ; 
and  they  were  also  directed  to  advert  to  the  as- 
sembling of  soldiers  and  warlike  stores  at  St  Qmer, 
and  endeavour  to  ascertain  its  object.^   This  mission 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  successful ;  and  in 
July,  Ambassadors    were   sent    to    the    Duchess. 
They  were  principally    directed  to   complain   of 
various  infringements  of  the  truce,  by  the  imprison- 
ment and  ill-usage  of  some  merchants,  the  King's 
subjects,  on  whose  release,  with  full  restitution  of 
their  property,  they  were  to  insist.    The  prohibition 
of  English  cloths  was  the  next  point   which  the 
Ambassadors  were  to  bring  under  the  Duchess's  con- 
sideration ;  and  they  were  ordered  to  inform  her 
that  Parliament  had  passed  an  Act,  declaring  that, 
unless  the  ordinance  in  question  was  withdrawn, 
no  merchandize  should  be  imported  into  England 
from  any  part  of  her  dominions.^ 

So  much  excitement  was  created  in  London 
by  the  prohibition  to  sell  cloth  of  English  manu- 
facture in  Holland,  that  the  Duchess's  subjects  in 
the  metropolis  were  assaulted  by  the  populace  ;  and 
in  June,  the  Mayor  and  Sheriffs  of  London  were 
commanded  to  take  measures  for  their  safety.^ 

The  discontent  produced  by  the  cession  of  28Hen.vr. 
the  provinces  of  Anjou  and  Maine,  the  loss   of 


1449. 


1  j^SSyposiecu  2  pp.  76-85, /xMfc«.  '  pp-?*,  IS^posiea. 

b  4^ 


xxiv  PREFACE. 

28  Hen.vi,  Rouen  and  of  all  Normandy,  the  suspicious  death 
of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  and  by  the  universal 
dislike  to  the  Marquess  of  Suffolk,  at  length  broke 
out  into  open  rebellion.  To  use  the  forcible  words 
of  a  modern  Historian,  "  every  tongue  was  em- 
•'  ployed  in  bewailing  the  fallen  glory  of  England, 
**  and  every  place  resounded  with  cries  of  vengeance 
*^  on  the  head  of  the  minister."^  Satirical  verses, 
reflecting,  in  the  severest  manner,  upon  Suffolk  and 
his  colleagues,  were  generally  distributed,  in  which 
the  state  of  the  country  was  lamented,  and  he  him- 
self covertly  accused  of  having  seduced  the  Duke 
of  Norfolk  and  other  Peers  to  his  designs.* 

1  LiDgard,  voLv.  p.  171. 

2  Some  of  these  verses,  of  which  the  following  are  specimens,  are 
still  preserved.  The  persons  alluded  to  are  described  by  their  badges, 
and  their  names  are  written  over,  in  a  contemporary  hand.  A  fuller 
account  of  these  allusions  will  be  found  in  the  Excerpta  Historica, 
where  they  were  first  printed,  p.  159,  et  seq.  Other  verses  of  the  same 
description  will  be  found  in  Ritson's  Ancient  Songs  and  Ballads,  and  in 
the  Excerpta  Historica,  pp.  279,  357-  Some  satirical  verses  of  a  political 
nature,  written  about  1399,  are  printed  in  the  Archaeologia,  voL  xxi.  p.  89. 

The  Rote^  is  ded,  the  Swanne^  is  goon*, 
The  firy  Cressett  ^  hath  lost  his  lyght, 
Therfore  Inglond  may  make  gret  mone. 
Were  not  the  helpe  of  Godde  Almyght*. 
The  Castell  ^  is  wonne,  where  care  begown' ; 
The  Portecolys*  is  leyde  a  down' ; 
Iclosid  we  haue  oure  welevette  Hatte  ^, 
That  keu'yd  us  from  mony  stormys  brewn'. 
The  White  Lion*7  ig  leyde  to  slepe, 
Thorou3  the  envy  of  the  Ape  clogge  ®; 

1  Duke  of  Bedford.  ^  Duke  of  Somerset 

ft  Duke  of  Gloucester.  ^  Cardinal  Wolsey,  who  died  in  1447* 

9  Duke  of  Exeter.  7  Duke  of  Norfolk. 

^  Rouen.  *  Duke  of  Suffolk. 


PREFACE.  XXV 


In  February  1450,  proclamations  were  issued  28  Hen.vi. 


in  Liondon,  Kent,  Surrey,  and  Sussex,  forbidding 


And  he  is  bown*den'  that  our'  dor'  shuld  kepe^ 
That  is  Talbott  our  good  dogge.^ 
The  fissher'  hath  lost  his  Hangulhook'  ^; 
Gete  theym  agayn'  when  it  woU'  be. 
Our'  Myllesaylle*  will'  not  abowte, 
Hit  hath  so  long'  goon'  emptye. 
The  Ber^  is  boun'd  that  was  so  wild» 
For  he  hath  lost  his  Ragged  Staff; 
The  Carte^  nathe  is  spokeles, 
For  the  coun  seill'  that  he  gaff'; 
The  Lily<^  b  both  fair'  and  grene  ; 
The  Coun'dite^  rennyth  not  as  I  wene ; 
The  Comysshe  chawgh^  ofit  w^  his  trayne 
Hath  made  our'  £gull'<^  blynde. 
The  White  hard  i<>  is  put  out  of  mynde. 
Be  cause  he  woli'  not  to  hem  consent ; 
Therfor'  the  Comyns  saith  is  both  trew  and  kynd, 
Bothe  in  Southesex  and  in  Kent. 
The  Wat'  Bowge"  and  the  Wyne  botell', 
With  the  Vetturlocks  cheyne  i*  ben'  fast ; 
The  Whete  yer'^s  ^oU'  theym'  susteyn' 
As  long'  as  he  may  endur'  and  last. 
The  Boor  '**  is  farr'  in  to  the  west 
That  shold  vs  helpe  w^  shild  and  sper' ; 
The  Fawkon'i^  fleyth,  and  hath  no  rest, 
Tille  he  witte  wher'  to  bigge  his  nest. 
Prom  a  contemporary  Roll  in  the  British  Museum,  marked  in  the 
Catalogue  of  the  Cottonian  Charters,  II.  23. 

1   Carl  of  Shxewabury.  8  John  Treyiltan,  esquire. 

«  I^ord  Fauoonberg.  *  The  King. 

3  l.ord  Willooghby.  '<>  The  Earl  of  Arundel. 

4  jEarl  of  Warwick.  "  Henry  Lord  Bourchier. 
i  Ouke  of  Buckxngfaam.  '^  l^e  Prior  of  St.  John's. 

«  Thomas  Daniel,  an    esquire  of  the  "  **  Exeter."       Apparently     Edmond 
King's  body.  La«y  bishop  of  Exeter. 

-  7  John   Norreys,    an   esquire   of  tlie  »*  Earl  of  Devonshire. 

King's  body.  i^  Duke  of  York. 


1450. 


Xxvi  PREFACE. 

28Hen.vi.  all  persons,  except  Lords,  Knights,  and  eminent 
Esquires,  from  wearing  arms  or  carrying  weapons 
of  any  kind  ^;  and  about  the  same  time  the  civil 
authorities  of  Canterbury,  Maidstone,  Oxford,  and 
other  cities  and  towns,  were  thanked  for  forwarding 
to  the  King  some  letters  which  they  had  re- 
ceived, respecting  assemblies  of  the  people,  "  under 
"  untrue  faines  and  pretense  colours  of  intending 
"  to  the  common  weal  of  the  land;  whereas, 
*^  as  God  knoweth,  the  intend  of  those  that  so 
"  labour  is  to  the  subversion  thereof."  The  said 
authorities  were  forbidden  to  give  any  credence 
to  those  statements,  whatever  might  be  the  rank 
of  the  persons  from  whom  they  proceeded ;  and 
they  were  strictly  commanded,  not  to  suffer  any 
assemblies  or  gatherings  of  the  populace,  or  to 
admit  them  within  the  places  under  their  jurisdic- 
tion.^ On  the  14th  of  April  the  Sheriffs  of  London 
and  Middlesex  were  directed  to  make  a  proclama- 
tion against  the  dissemination  of  false  and  sedi- 
tious rumours,  bills,  and  defamatory  libels,  many 
of  which  had  been  affixed  to  the  doors  of  Churches, 
and  in  other  places.^ 

Although  Suffolk  had  fallen  a  victim  to  public 
resentment,  on  the  2nd  of  May*,  when  he  was 
murdered  on  board  a  vessel  on  the  coast  of  Kent, 


1  Fcedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  262.  ^  P*  91,  postea. 

9  Foedera,  voLxi.  p.  268. 

4  See  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  Duke  of  Suffolk's  death,  ia  a 
letter  in  the  Fasten  Correspondence,  vol.  i.  p.  38. 


PREFACE.  xxvii 

the  spirit  of  rebellion  was  not  quelled.  The  Com-  gg  Hen.VL 
mons  of  Kent  rose  almost  in  a  body,  and  placed  ^*^ 
themselves  under  the  leadership  of  an  Irish  adven- 
turer of  the  name  of  John  Cade,  a  "  young  man," 
says  HaD ^,  "of  a  goodly  stature  and  pregnant 
^  wit,"  who  pretended  to  be  a  cousin  of  the  Duke, 
and  called  himself  Mortimer,  alleging  that  he  was 
illegitimately  descended  from  Roger  Mortimer,  Earl 
of  March.^  Cade  and  his  followers  advanced  to- 
wards the  metropolis,  and  about  the  middle  of 
June  arrived  at  Blackheath.  The  Government 
shewed  no  want  of  energy  on  the  occasion.  Its 
first  act  was  to  dissolve  the  Parliament,  which 
was  then  sitting  at  Leicester ;  and  the  King  having 
immediately  returned  to  London,  attended  by  many 
Lords  and  twenty  thousand  men,  took  up  his  quar- 


1  Ed.  1809,  p.  220. 

2  Gascoigne's  MS.,  Vitellius,  C«  ix^  in  the  Cottonian  Collection,  cited 
by  Mr.  Sharon  Tomer,  vol.  iii.  p.  185.  In  the  proclamation  for  his  appre- 
ioDsioD,  Cade  is. said  to  have  been  bom  in  Ireland,  and  to  have  lived  some 
time  in  Sussex.  It  recites,  that  he  was  bom  in  Ireland ;  that  he  had 
during  the  year  preceding  lived  in  Sussex  with  Sir  Thomas  Dogre ;  that 
he  had  there  slain  a  woman  with  child,  and  had  fled  to  a  church  for  safety, 
and  afterwards  went  abroad ;  that,  some  years  before,  he  had  joined 
the  French  party  and  dwelt  with  them,  and  now  came  to  England  to 
enrich  himself  with  robbing  and  despoiling  the  King's  liege  men. 
Stow,  p.  391. 

According  to  a  Roll  in  the  Cottonian  collection  of  Charters,  quoted  in 
JEllis's  Original  Letters,  second  series,  voL  i.  p.  1 12,  containing  the 
names  of  persons  indicted  at  Rochester  in  August  1451,  Cade  was 
likewise  called  Mr.  John  Alymere,  physician ;  and  it  is  there  said  that 
he  had  married  a  "  squire's  daughter  of  Taundede."  Stow  says  he  was 
also  called  John  AmendaUy  a  name  evidently  derived  from  the  object 


xxviii  PREFACE, 

28  Hen.vi.  ters  at  St.  John's  Hospital  near  Smithfield.^  The 
^^^*  particulars  and  result  of  Cade's  rebellion^  are  too 
well  known  to  require  any  further  allusion  to  it, 
than  to  notice  the  information  which  the  articles 
in  this  volume  afford.  The  first  of  those  papers 
is  a  list  of  the  artillery  with  which  Henry  took 
the  field  at  Blackheath  on  the  20th  of  June,  and 
which  consisted  of  nine  large  "  rebaudkins,"  re- 
quiring the  attendance  of  thirty  persons,  consisting 
of  gunners,  carpenters,  smiths,  and  masons.^  The 
Tower  of  London  was  ordered  to  be  victualled,  and 
put  in  a  state  of  defence  on  the  30th  of  June®; 
and,  on  the  following  day,  Commissioners  were 
appointed  to  array  the  inhabitants  of  Cheshire 
and  Lancashire/ 

On  the  12th  of  July  the  Treasurer  and  Cham- 
berlains of  the  Exchequer  were  ordered  to  seize  to 
the  King's  use,  all  goods,  jewels,  money,  and  other 
property  which  had  been  taken  by  Cade  and  his 
associates,  and  to  expend  the  same  in  the  public 
service,  especially  in  endeavouring  to  make  him 
and  them  prisoners.^     Cade  was,  however,  killed 


which  he  professed  to  have  in  view, — of  redressing  all  grievances*  It 
ought  to  have  been  noticed,  in  p.  107,  that  the  article  respecting  the 
disposal  of  the  bodies  of  the  traitors  is  printed  in  Sir  Henry  £llis'& 
Collection  of  Original  Letters. 

1  William  of  Worcester,  pp.  469,  4?70. 

2  A  very  interesting  account  of  the  insurgents' army,  and  of  theU 
leader,  will  be  found  in  the  Paston  Correspondence,  vol.  i.  p.  54,  et  seq* 
in  a  letter  from  a  person  who  had  fallen  into  their  hands. 

*  P-  94,/>wtea.  4  pp.  94.,  95,  pastea,  »  pp.  96,  97,  postea. 


PREFACE.  xxix 

on  the  preceding  day,   in   a  garden   in   Sussex,  28Hen-Vi» 

by  Alexander  Iden,   the  Sheriff  of  KentS  who      ^*^' 

obtained  an  order,  on  the  15th  of  that  month, 

for  the  payment  of  the  1,000  marks  which  had 

been  oflfered,  on  the  10th,  to  any  one  who  should 

bring  Cade's  body  to  the  Council.^     Ten  pounds 

vere  directed  to  be  paid  to  Holes,  the  Keeper  of 

the  Privy  Seal,  for  the  expences  of  his  journey 

when  he  was  sent  by  the  King  to  communicate  with 

Cade ;  and  six  horses,  which  had  belonged  to  him, 

were  given  to  Holes,  in  consideration  of  his  having 

to  perform  another  journey  in  the  King's  service 

and  being  destitute  of  horses.^     Part   of  Cade's 

effects  were  appropriated  to  the  erection  of  the 

East  Gate  in  the  city  of  Rochester ;  but  the  most 

curious  documents  relate  to  the  disposal  of  the 

bodies  of  the  rebels,  upon  which  was  wreaked  all 

the  impotent  vengeance  that  the  barbarity  of  the 

times  could  suggest 

After  the  death  of  Cade,  the  title  of  "  Captain  29  Hen.vi. 
"  of  Kent''  was  assumed  by  a  person  called  John  ^*^' 
Smyth,  who  was  made  prisoner  by  the  Duke  of 
Somerset  in  October  following,  for  whose  caption 
a  reward .  of  j£40  was  paid ;  and  twenty  marks 
per  diem  were  then  assigned  to  the  Duke,  for 
his    services    in    suppressing    the    insurgents    in 


1  Fabian,  ed.  1811,  p.  625. 

3  Stow,  p.  S92 ;  and  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  275. 

9  pp.  98,  99,  pottea. 


29Heii.yL  Kent.^     Among  the  traitors  who  lost  their  lives 

1450.       .  . 

in  that  rebellion,  the  names  of  Nicholas  Jakes, 
Thomas  Cheyney,  who  pretended  to  be  a  hermit 
called  "  Blue-beard V'  and  John  Ramsey,  a  wine- 
drawer,  are  conspicuous.  It  appears  that  the 
quarters  of  Jakes  were  sent  to  Chichester,  Roches- 
ter, Portsmouth,  and  Colchester ;  that  the  head 
of  Cheyney  was  sent  to  Canterbury,  and  his 
quarters  to  London,  Norwich,  and  the  Cinque 
Ports  ;  and  that  the  corpse  of  Ramsey  was  divided 
among  Stamford,  Newbury,  Coventry,  and  Win- 
chester, his  head  being  placed  on  London  Bridge. 
The  body  of  the  "  great  traitor,"  Mortimer  or  Cade, 
was  drawn  on  a  hurdle  through  the  streets  of 
London,  his  head  was  affixed  on  London  Bridge, 
and  his  quarters  were  exhibited  at  Blackheath, 
Norwich,  Salisbury,  and  Gloucester.  The  selection 
of  those  cities  and  towns  for  the  exhibition  of 
the  rebels'  bodies  indicates  the  most  disaffected 
parts  of  England ;  and  it  is  worthy  of  observation, 
that,  so  far  from  their  crimes  being  held  in  ab- 
horrence, it  was  found  scarcely  possible  to  induce 
any  one  to  convey  these  horrible  relics  to  the  above- 
mentioned  places,  from  "fear  of  their  lives." ^  In 
contemplating    this  disgusting    proceeding,   it   is 


1  pp.  101, 102,  posUa. 

2  <<  Then  of  this  grudge  ensued  rebellion  of  the  Commons,  insomuch 
<<  that  they  assembled  them  in  sundry  places,  and  made  of  themselves 
<<  captains^  and  ruxmed  them  JBlueheard,  and  other  counterfeit  names. 
Fabian,  ed.  181 1,  p,  622.    See  also  Stow,  p.  387. 

s  pp.  107>  108,  posUa. 


»» 


PREFACE.  xxxi 

satisfactory  to  know  that  the  savage  spirit  of  the  29  Heii.Vl, 
Law  which  sanctioned  it,  was  foreign  to,  at  least,  one 
contemporary  mind.  The  amiable  Henry  himself, 
is  said  by  an  eye  witness,  to  have  shewn  the  utmost 
horror  on  accidentally  seeing  the  mutilated  remains 
of  a  traitor  thus  exposed.  Ignorant  of  the  meaning 
of  such  an  outrage  on  humanity,  he  inquired  the 
cause,  and  on  being  told  that  it  was  for  an  offence 
against  his  Royal  dignity,  he  ordered  them  to  be 
removed,  benignly  exclaiming,  "  I  will  not  permit 
"  any  Christian  to  be  treated  in  that  manner.*'^ 

A  slight  sketch  of  the  state  of  parties  and  of  the 
country  between  June  1450  and  the  commencement 
of  the  year  1454,  is  a  necessary  introduction  to  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Council  in  that  period.  » 

After  the  fall  of  the  Duke  of  Suffolk,  who  was 
the  victim  of  popular  clamour  and  of  the  weakness 
of  the  Government,  rather  than  of  his  own  crimes. 
Cardinal  Kemp,  Archbishop  of  York,  succeeded  as 
principal  Minister;  but  in  consequence  of  the  King's 
iUness  and  incapacity,  the  regal  power  was,  in  fact, 
exercised  by  his  Consort,  whose  masculine  talents 
and  ambition  formed  a  striking  contrast  to  her 
husband's  meekness  and  timidity. 

There  was,  however,  a  personage  who,  from 
his  proximity  to  the  throne,  his  talents,  and  his 
alliance  with  many  powerful  families  of  the  realm, 
was  a  most  formidable  rival  to  any  minister  whom 


I  See  Blackmail's  account  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  at  the  end  of  Otter* 
bourne's  Chronide,  printed  by  Heame,  p.  301. 


XXXii  PREFACE. 

29  HeiuVl.  the   Royal    favour   could   create ;    and  who  was, 
*^  *     moreover,  very  unlikely  to  neglect  the  advantages 
which  nature  and  his  own  merits  had  given  him. 

Richard  Plantagenet  Duke  of  York  was,  through 
his  mother,  the  lineal  heir  of  the  Duke  of  Clarence, 
the  third  son  of  King  Edward  the  Third ;  and  he 
had  thus  an  hereditary  and  Common  Law  right  to 
the  Crown  prior,  to  that  of  Henry  himself;  but  not 
possessing  the  influence  in  the  King's  Councils 
which  his  station  and  talents  alike  justified  him  in 
expecting,  mutual  jealousy  and  distrust  existed 
between  himself,  the  Queen,  and  the  Ministers, 
At  the  time  of  Cade's  rebellion,  the  Duke  of 
York  was  Lieutenant  of  Ireland ;  but  the  perilous 
condition  of  affairs  both  in  England  and  France, 
and  perhaps  a  regard  for  his  own  interests,  which 
were  likely  to  be  compromised  by  any  public 
disaster,  induced  him  suddenly  to  return  to  this 
country.  He  arrived  at  his  castle  of  Ludlow  in 
Wales  about  August  or  September  1450,  where  he 
directed  his  followers  to  join  him.  Lord  de  L'Isle 
was  dispatched  by  the  King  to  impede  his  move- 
ments^ ;  and  a  numerous  body  of  the  retainers  of 
Lord  Grey  de  Ruthyn  having  met  a  lawyer,  of  the 
name  of  Tresham,  (who  had  been  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Commons,)  on  his  way  to  join  the  Duke, 
attacked  and  murdered  him  near  Northampton/* 
The  Duke  of  York,  who  had  collected  upwards  of 


1  William  of  Worcester,  p.  473. 

2  Ihid.;  and  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  pp.  211,  21S. 


PREFACE.  xxxiii 

49OOO9  and  according  to  some  writers,  as  many  as  29  HeD.vi. 
10,000  foDowers,  proceeded  to  London  towards  the  ^^ 
end  of  September,  and  repaired  to  the  King.  He 
represented  to  Henry  the  state  of  the  Kingdom, 
exhibited  a  long  catalogue  of  grievances  S  and 
prayed  him  to  summon  a  Parliament.  It  is  said 
that  the  Duke  of  York  conducted  himself,  in  this 
interview,  with  violence,  but  that  he  was  subdued 
by  the  King's  dignity  and  moderation,  who  is  re- 
ported to  have  answered  as  "  if  the  spirit  of  the 
"  wisdom  of  God  were  in  him.^"  Finding  the 
Government  too  strong  to  be  intimidated,  York 
retired  to  Fotheringay  ;  and  the  Duke  of  Somerset, 
whose  surrender  of  Caen  shortly  before  had  in- 
spired York  with  contempt  for  his  capacity  equal 
to  the  jealousy  which  he  had  long  felt  of  his  in- 
fluence, was  recalled  from  Normandy,  placed  at  the 
head  of  affairs,  and  made  Constable  of  England.^ 

These  appointments  served,  however,  only  to 
weaken  the  Administration,  which  they  were  in- 
tended to  strengthen,  in  consequence  of  Somerset's 
extreme  unpopularity,  he  being  supposed  to  have 
lost  Normandy  by  his  misconduct. 

In  November,  Parliament  met  at  Westminster, 
pursuant  to  writs  issued  on  the  5th  of  September, 
to  provide  for  the  defence  of  the  Kingdom  and  the 

J   Stow,  p.  393,  eiseq,  2  Rot  ParU  voL  v.  p.  346. 

^  His  appointment  was  dated  at  Rochester,  on  the  11th  of  September 
1450,  to  which  dty  he,  with  the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  the  Lord  Chan- 
cellor, and  others,  had  accompanied  the  King  for  the  punishment  of 
Cade's  adherents.    Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  276 ;  Paston  Letters,  vol  iii.  p.  88. 

VOL.  VI.  C 


xxxiv  PREFACE. 

29  Hen.VL  safeguard  of  the  sea,  to  afford  aid  to  the  King^s 
subjects  in  Aquitaine,  and  to  punish  and  suppress 
riots  in  various  parts  of  the  Realm  ^;  but  it  was  soon 
afterwards  prorogued,  and  did  not  meet  again  until 
the  ensuing  spring.  According  to  a  contemporary 
chronicler  ^  Parliament  was  principally  occupied 
with  the  quarrel  between  the  Dukes  of  York  and 
Somerset,  but  no  allusion  to  the  subject  occurs 
on  the  Rolls;  and  it  is  also  stated  by  the  same 
writer,  that  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  appeared  on  the 
occasion  with  a  large  retinue  in  support  of  the 
Duke  of  York,  and  that  a  lawyer  of  the  name  of 
Young^,  having  proposed  to  declare  that  Prince 
heir  to  the  Crown,  he  was  committed  to  the 
Tower. 

The  Commons  then  requested  that  certain 
Peers  and  others,  who  are  named,  should  be  re- 
moved from  the  King's  presence ;  but  the  demand 
was  only  partially  granted,  though  Henry's  answer 
was  given  in  very  conciliatory  terms.  *  The  most 
memorable  Act   of  that   Parliament   was   one   to 


1  Rot  Pari,  vol.  v.  p.  210.  2  William  of  Worcester,  p.  474^ 

*  In  1455|  Young  petitioned  for  a  recompence  for  his  losses  and  ex- 
pences  during  his  imprisonment,  which  he  estimated  at  1,000  marks.  He 
did  not,  however,  state  precisely  the  cause  of  his  arrest,  but  only  that, 
contrary  to  the  freedom  of  debate  allowed  to  the  Commons,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  "  untrue  sinister  reports  made  to  the  King  of  him  for  matters 
"  by  him  shewed  in  the  House  accustomed  for  the  Commons  in  Parlia- 
**  ment,"  he  had  been  arrested  and  publicly  led  to  the  Tower,  and 
there  <<  grievously  in  great  duress  long  time  imprisoned."  Rot  ParL 
voL  V.  p.  337.4 
^  Rot  Pari,  vol.  v.  p.  216. 


PREFACE.  XXXV 

enable  the  Crown  to  resume  all  grants  which  had  29  Hen.VL 
been  made  since  Henry^s  accession,  in  consequence 
of  his  debts  (which  amounted  to  jC372,000,  his 
yearij  revenue  being  only  £5,000,  whilst  his  House- 
hold alone  required  £23,000),  and  of  the  inability 
of  the  people  to  bear  any  additional  burthens.^ 

Though  the  Duke  of  York's  first  attempt  to 
place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Government  was 
imsuccessfid,  he  only  waited  for  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity to  renew  it :  nor  were  his  partizans  neglectful 
of  his  interests  in  the  mean  time.  Many  parts  of 
the  Kingdom  were  the  scenes  of  tumultuous  assem- 
blies ;  and  a  quarrel  which  arose  between  the  Earl 
of  Salisbury  and  Thomas  Percy,  Lord  Egremont,  a 
younger  son  of  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  the 
origin  of  which  is  unknown,  but  which  lasted  for 
a  considerable  time,  and  will  be  again  particularly 
noticed,  is  assigned  as  the  principal  cause  of  the 
civil  war.^  The  Duke  of  York  having  married 
Cecily,  a  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Westmorland,  he 
was  the  brother-in-law  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  and 
w«  thus,  not  only  closely  allied  to  the  powerful 
family  of  Neville,  but  with  numerous  others  of  the 
nobility,  many  of  whom  supported  him  with  zeal 
and  fidelity. 

In  February  1452,  York,  who  had  again  retired 
to  Ludlow  Castle,  determined  to  assert  his  own 
rights;  and  to  wrest  the  Government  from  the 
hands  of  Somerset   and  the  Queen's  party.     On 


»  Rot.  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  217.  ^  William  of  Worcester,  p.  476. 

C  2 


xxxvi  PREFACE. 

29Hcn.vi.  the  13th  of  that  month  he  wrote  to  the  citizens 

1450- 

of  Shrewsbury,  stating  the  misconduct  of  Somerset 
in  losing  Normandy,  which  had  led  to  the  recovery 
of  Gascony  and  Guienne  by  the  French,  and 
pointing  out  the  enemy's  attempts  on  Calais,  and 
their  intention  to  invade  this  country.  He  told 
them  that  since  his  return  from  Ireland,  he  had 
exposed  the  condition  of  affairs  to  the  King :  he 
said  that  his  advice  had  not  only  failed  through 
Somerset's  machinations,  but  that  the  latter  had 
endeavoured  to  attaint  him  and  his  followers  of 
treason  ;  and  he  concluded  by  calling  upon  them  to 
assist  his  determination  to  proceed  with  his  kins- 
men and  friends  against  Somerset,  for  the  welfare 
of  the  realm,  keeping,  however,  within  the  bounds 
of  his  allegiance  to  the  King.^ 

Henry  took  the  field,  and  marched  to  oppose 
the  Duke  of  York,  attended  by  the  Duke  of  Somer- 
set and  many  other  Peers.  York  avoided  meeting 
them,  by  taking  a  different  route  to  London  from 
that  by  which  they  had  advanced ;  but  being  refused 
admittance  into  the  city,  he  crossed  the  Thames  and 
took  up  his  quarters  near  Dartford  in  Kent.  The 
King's  army  having  followed,  they  met  at  Black- 
heath,  where,  after  several  communications^,  ami- 
cable terms  were  agreed   upon,  the  principal   of 


1  See  this  important  letter,  printed  from  the  original,  in  "  Ellis's  Ori* 
<<  ginal  Letters/*  first  series,  vol.  i.  p.  11. ;  and  another  letter,  dated  on 
the  9th  of  January,  in  Stow's  Annals,  p.  39S. 

2  These  letters  or  declarations  will  be  found  in  Stow's  Annals,  pp.  394<» 
395. 


PREFACE.  xxxvii 

which  was  that  Somerset  should  be  arrested  and  29  Hen.yi. 
remain  in  ward  until  he  had  answered  the  charges 
brought  against  him ;  upon  which  York  dismissed 
his  followers,  and  submitted  himself  to  the  King. 
His  confidence  in  the  Royal  promises  was,  how- 
ever, misplaced.  He  was  treated  as  a  prisoner, 
until  the  Council  were  induced  to  release  him,  in 
consequence  of  the  arrival  of  disastrous  news  from 
Guienne,  and  the  prevalence  of  a  rumour,  that  his 
son,  the  Earl  of  March,  was  approaching  the  me- 
tropolis with  a  large  army  to  rescue  him.  On  the 
10th  of  March  the  Duke  of  York  swore  fidelity  to 
the  King  in  St.  Paul's  church ;  and  he  soon  after- 
wards retired  into  Wales. 

Somerset's  influence  remained  not  only  unim- 
paired, but  new  marks  of  the  Royal  confidence  were 
conferred  upon  him,  as  he  was  made  Captain  of 
Calais  in  September  1451S  and  Lieutenant  of  the 
Marches  of  Picardy,  Flanders,  and  Artois,  in  De- 
cember following.^     A  Council  was  held  at  Coven- 
try in  September,  in  the  King's  presence,  for  the 
purpose  of  reconciling   the  Dukes  of  York   and 
Somerset  ^  but  only  a  hollow  and  temporary  ac- 
conunodation    was    effected ;    and    though    both 
parties  met  in  the  next  Parliament,  which  assem- 
bled at  Reading  on  the  6th  of  March  1453,  to 
provide  for  the  government  of  the  Kingdom,  and 
for  its  defence  against  foreign  enemies,  nothing  is 
recorded  to  have  been  done  to  reconcile  the  two 

i  Rot  Francke,  80  Hen.  VI.,  m.  17.  » Ibid.  m.  12. 

»  William  of  Worcester,  p.  476. 

C  3 


xxxviii  PREFACE. 

■ 

29  Hen.VL  factions,  whose  animosity  prevented  the  accomplish- 
^*  ^'  ment  of  either  of  the  objects  for  which  it  was 
summoned.  Parliament  was  prorogued  on  the  2nd 
of  June,  and,  by  subsequent  prorogations,  until 
March  in  the  following  year,  before  which  time  a 
total  change  had  occurred  in  public  affairs. 

The  most  interesting  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
Council  collected  in  this  volume,  between  1451 
and  1454,  will  now  be  pointed  out.  A  command 
was  issued  to  the  Treasurer  and  Barons  of  the 
Exchequer,  in  January  1451,  to  which  some  im- 
portance ought,  perhaps,  to  be  attached.  They 
were  directed  to  disregard  all  orders  previously 
given,  or  which  might  hereafter  be  given,  by 
Letters  or  Warrants,  to  surcease  Legal  processes 
and  judgments,  except  by  the  authority  of  the 
Council ;  and  to  proceed  effectually  in  all  matters 
relating  to  the  Crown  according  to  the  due  course 
of  Law.^ 

1452.  One  article  only  has  been  found  relating  to  the 

Duke  of  York's  adherents  in  the  30th  of  Henry 
the  Sixth.  On  the  17th  of  February  1452,  a 
letter  was  sent  to  Edward  Brooke  Lord  Cobham, 
who  was  one  of  the  Duke's  principal  advisers, 
stating,  that  he  had  disobeyed  the  King's  com- 
mands to  attend  a  Great  Council  which  had  been 
summoned  in  consequence  of  "the  great  untruth 
"  and  disobedience  which  is  meant  and  proposed 


1  p.  104(9  postea. 


PREFACE.  xxxix 

<<  against  us  and  against  our  estate,  and  against  our  so  Hen-Vi. 

**  unirersal  policy,  and  welfare  of  this  our  land, 

^^  the  wliich,  with  the  grace  of  our  Lord,  shall  not 

^  take  such  effect  as  the  authors  and  labourers 

^  thereof  purpose  and  intend,  but  shall  be  so  re- 

^  buked  and  chastised  as  it  shall  be  to  the  pleasure 

^  of  God  and  to  the  worship  of  us,  and  to  the  weal 

«  of  this  our  reahn ;"  and  charging  him,  in  the 

strongest  language,  to  repair,  without  a  moment^s 

delay,  to  his  Majesty's  presence,  and  there  ^*  wait 

"  vapoa  hrm,  and  do  service  such  as  it  fitteth  our 

«  true  liegeman,"  upon  peril  of  his  indignation, 

and  its  consequences.^    It  is  highly  probable  that  a 

similar  letter  was  sent  to  all  the  other  Lords  of  the 

Duke  of  York's  party. 

Little  additional  information  is  afforded  by  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Council  in  this  year  than  what 
relates  to  Calais.  Historians  do  not  appear  to  have 
been  aware  of  the  danger  in  which  that  town  then 
stood,  nor  of  the  efforts  made  by  the  Government 
for  its  defence.^  In  the  summer  of  1451,  the  Lords 
Seaachamp  and  Sudeley  were  sent  there  with  a 
reinlorcement  of  1,150  men,  besides  the  crews  of 
the  twelve  vessels  which  conveyed  them  ^;  and  in 
Mardk  following,  letters  were  written  to  Lord 
Clifford,  which,  afler  thanking  him  for  his  former 


1  pp.116,  injpaaea. 

2  A  letter  in  the  Paston  Correspondence,  dated  on  the  6th  of  May 
1450,  states  that  it  was  then  rumoured  that  Calais  would  be  besieged 
within  the  next  seven  days,  vol.  u  p.  46. 

3  pp.  112,  113,  postea. 

C  4 


xl  PREFACE. 

80  Hen. VI.  eminent  services,  acquainted  him  that  the  King  of 
France  was  about  to  proceed  to  the  Marches  of 
Calais  with  the  largest  army  that  had  been  assem- 
bled in  that  Kingdom  for  many  years,  and  "  with 
"  as  great  ordinance  and  devices  of  war  as  any 
^^  man  hath  seen,'"  intending  to  take  Calais  and 
other  places    there    by  siege,    and  afterwards   to 
invade  England,  "to   the  intent  to   destroy  and 
"  despoil    it,    and    the    dwellers    of   the    same/' 
Clifford  was,  therefore,  directed  to  proceed  to  Calais 
as  speedily  as  possible,  and  to  offer  all  the  resistance 
in  his  power  to  the  enemy's  designs.     He  was  told 
that  the  King  had  appointed  the  Earl  of  Shrews- 
bury Commander  of  the   Army  on  the  sea,  and 
that  certain  ships  were  ready  in  the  Thames,  at 
Winchelsea   and  Sandwich:    and  he  was   desired 
to  use  his  utmost  exertions  to  induce  the  several 
Knights,  Ship-owners,  and  others,  to  whom  he  was 
furnished  with  credentials,  to  give  their  services  on 
that   occasion.     To  encourage  Lord  Clifford   the 
more,  all  the  ships  and  men  he  could  raise  were 
placed  under  his  command,  and  he  was  directed 
to   bring  them   to    the   Downs  or  the   Camber^ 
without   delay.^      Further   instructions  were    sent 
to  him  on  the  22nd  of  the  same  month,  containing 
the  names  of  the  ships  he  was  to  employ^;   but 
the  remainder  of  the  document  is  lost. 

From  the  critical  state  of  England,  and  the 


>  Vide  Yoi\.  Preface.  *  pp.  119-122, /w^eo, 

3  p.  }2iffpos(ea. 


PREFACE.  xli 

peril  with  which  her  provinces  in  France  were  30Hen.vi. 
threatened,  the  Government  was  naturally  anxious 
to  prevent  the  Scots  from  being  added  to  the 
number  of  her  enemies.  Lord  Poynings,  War- 
den of  the  East  Marches,  and  the  Lieutenants 
of  Tyndale,  Redesdale,  and  Roxborough  were 
commanded,  in  May  in  this  year,  upon  their  faith 
and  allegiance,  to  preserve  the  existing  truce  by 
every  means  in  their  power,  notwithstanding  it 
had  been  violated  by  the  followers  of  the  Earl  of 
Douglas,  whose  conduct  had  led  to  reprisals ;  and 
they  were  told,  that  whenever  the  King  should  be 
DO  longer  disposed  to  maintain  the  truce,  they 
would  be  so  informed,  until  which  time  they 
were  strictly  ordered  not  to  allow  any  thing  to 
be  done  which  might  tend  to  disturb  it.^ 

No  other  Proceedings  of  the  Council  in  the  ^i  Hen-Vl. 
31st  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  relating  to  the  domestic 
affairs  of  the  Kingdom,  have  been  discovered,  than 
numerous  letters  and  ordinances  respecting  the 
quarrel  between  the  Nevilles  and  Lord  Egremont 
before  alluded  to.  If  William  of  Worcester  be 
correct  in  saying  that  the  dispute  originated  be- 
tween the  Earl  of  Salisbury  and  Egremont  two 
years  before,  it  is,  nevertheless,  certain  that  the 
EarFs  younger  son.  Sir  John  Neville,  had  so 
warmly  espoused  his  father's  cause  as  to  have 
become    the  principal   actor  in   the   scene.     The 

1  pp.  125,  126,  poHea. 


31  Hen. VI.  retainers  of  both  parties  having,  agreeably  to  the 
custom  of  the  age,  adopted  their  Lords'  quarrel, 
the  counties  of  York,  Cumberland,  Westmorland, 
and  Northumberland  were  thrown  into  commotion, 
and  the  usual  results  of  personal  affrays,  pillage, 
and  murders,  ensued.^    Egremont  was  peremptorily 
summoned,  on  the  7th  of  June  1453,  to  appear 
before  the  King  to  answer  for  his  conduct,  but  as 
he  had  disobeyed  the  command,  it  was  repeated  in 
still  stronger  terms  towards  the  end  of  that  month; 
and  he  was  directed,  in  the  mean  time,  not  to  break 
the  peace  himself,  nor  allow  it  to  be  broken  by  any 
of  his  followers^;  similar  injunctions  being  issued 
to  Sir  John  Neville.      The  efforts  of  the    Sheriff 
of  Cumberland  to  maintain  tranquillity  were  use- 
less, as  his  followers  were  beaten,  and  Egremont 
even  threatened  that  he  would  have  the  Sheriff's 
head  for  daring  to  interfere.^     These  riots  having 
become   alarming,    a  Commission,    of   which    Sir 
William  Lucy  was  at  the  head,  was  sent  into  the 
North,  with  letters  to  the  Earls  of  Northumberland 
and  Salisbury,  as  well  as  to  Egremont  and  Neville, 
and  to  several  Knights  and  Esquires  of  each  party, 
commanding  them  to   discontinue  their  proceed- 
ings ;   and  those  noblemen  were  also  directed  to 
use  their  utmost  exertions  in  dispersing  the  rioters,* 
It  will  be  seen,  however,  that  the  disorders  were 

1  Vide  Rot  ParU  vol.  v.  pp.  894-396.  2  pp.  140,  141,  postecu 

9  See  a  petition  from  Thomas  de  la  More,  Sheriff  of  Cumberland,  to 
the  King  on  the  Rolls  of  Parliament,  vol.  vi.  p.  163. 
4  pp.  Ii0'l54f,  posteai 


PREFACE.  xliii 

not  tenninated  until  after  the  accession  of  the  31  Hen.vi. 
Duke  of  York  and  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  to  power. 
Thou^  not  shewn  to  be  implicated  in  these  pro- 
ceedings,  it  is  evident  that  Lord  Grey  of  Ruge- 
moDt,  or,  as  he  was  more  commonly  called,  Lord 
Sugemont  Grey,  had  given  some  displeasure  to 
the  Government,  he  having  been  commanded  to 
attend  the  Council,  without  excuse  or  delay,  in 
July  in  the  same  year.^ 

The  remaining  documents  belonging  to   the 

year  1453,   relate   to   an   appeal   of  battle   by   a 

person   called  John  Lyalton   against   one  Robert 

Norres,  who   had   accused  him   of  high    treason. 

Like  the  parties  before   mentioned*,   they  were 

to    fight    at    Smithfield    under   the    authority   of 

the  Constable  of  England.     Their  weapons,  which 

consisted   of  glaives,    short   swords,  daggers,  and 

axes,  instead  of  long  swords,  were  provided  by 

the  King's    armourer.      Hie  Sheriffi  of  London 

were  ordered  to  erect  a  scaffold  for  the  King,  with 

the  necessary  barriers  and  lists,  and  to  gravel  and 

sand  the  ground  at  his  Majesty's  cost.      Besides 

Eoii^ts  and  others,  who  were  assigned  as  counsel 

on  each  side,  both  the   appellant  and  defendant 

claimed  the  services  of  an  armourer  and  a  painter 

^^  after  the   custom  of   old  time   used."^      It   is 

manifest  that   appeals  to   personal    combat,  even 

when  the  parties  were  obscure,  excited  the  greatest 


1  p.  H2»  po9ka.  2  Vide  p.  xxi,  amtea* 

9  pp.  129;  lS3-liO,  postea. 


xliv  PREFACE. 

81  Hen.vi.  interest  among  all  classes ;  and  that  the  King  not 
only  provided  weapons,  tents,  and  other  things 
for  the  battle,  but  that,  as  in  this  instance,  he 
furnished  the  combatants  with  money  to  procure 
whatever  else  they  might  require.  The  result  of 
this  quarrel  has  not  been  ascertained ;  and  it  is 
rather  singular,  considering  the  attention  usually 
shewn  to  these  matters,  that  it  is  not  noticed  by 
any  chronicler. 

A  large  army  having  been  sent  to  Guienne 
under  the  veteran  Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  at  the 
request  of  the  inhabitants,  to  defend  them  against 
the  French,  loans  were  borrowed  from  individuals 
for  its  equipment  and  support ;  and  they  were 
required  to  pay  them,  lest  they  should  be  consi- 
dered "  letters  and  breakers  of  the  said  army."^ 
The  mayors  and  customers  of  the  sea  ports  were 
directed,  in  August,  to  use  all  possible  means  to 
induce  owners  and  masters  of  ships  to  serve  in  the 
expedition^,  as  intelligence  had  been  received  that 
the  French  were  assembling  a  large  fleet  in  the 
Gironde  to  oppose  the  entrance  of  the  English.^ 
That  every  effort  was  made  to  raise  the  necessary 
supplies,  is  apparent  from  two  documents  relating 
to  the  sale  of  alum  and  tin,  the  produce  of  which 
commodities  was  to  be  applied  to  that  object.* 

S2HeD.yL  So   far  from   the  efforts   of   the   Council   to 

^*^^'      suppress  the  riots  in  the  North,  arising  out  of  the 

1  p.  14S,/KWtea.  2  pp.  151, 152,/KWtea. 

3  p.  ISSyposUa.  ^  pp.  \S%  153,  ISlfpastea, 


PREFACE.  xlv 

quarrel  of  the  Nevilles  and  Lord  Egremont,  having  S2  Hen.vi. 
been  successiiil,  the  tumults  became  more  serious ; 
and  many  of  the  Minutes  of  the  Council  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  1453  refer  to  that  subject. 

In  October,  the  Earl  of  Westmorland  and 
Bobert  Neville,  Bishop  of  Durham,  were  specially 
thanked,  in  the  King's  name,  for  their  exertions  in 
quelling  those  disturbances,  and  for  not  having 
afforded  any  countenance  to  the  leaders,  notwith- 
standing their  near  relationship  to  them;  and  a 
similar  acknowledgment  was  sent  to  Booth,  Arch- 
bishop of  York.^ 

Very  strong  and  remarkable  letters  were  also 
written  to  the  Earls  of  Salisbury  and  Northumber- 
land, the  fathers  of  the  parties  chiefly  concerned, 
stating  that  they  had  heretofore  been  considered 
^  sad,  sober,  and  well  ruled  men  ;"  that  the  high 
rank  which  they  held  was  given  to  them,  not  to 
be  abused,  but  for  the  worship  of  God  and  sup- 
port of  the  King's  laws  and  peace,  to  the  preser- 
vation of  which  they  were  the  more  bound  from 
being  Commissioners  of  the  peace,  and  Lords  of 
the  Council;  that  their  oath  in  taking  the  latter 
office  obliged  them,  in  case  of  a  quarrel  between 
Lord  and  Lord  tending  to  a  breach  of  the  peace, 
and  involving  themselves,  to  be  governed  by  the 
other  Members  of  the  Council,  and  not  to  seek 
redress   at   their   own  hands  ^;  that   it  had   been 

1  pp.  158,  ISd^pottecu 

2  Vide  Hot  ParU  voL  y.  p.  415 ;  and  Proceedings  of  the  Council^ 
ToL  iiL  pp.  175,176,  219 ;  vol.  iv.  p.  36. 


xlvi  PREFACE. 

* 

32  Hen.vi.  recently  ordered  by  Parliament,  that  if  any  Lord 
had  cause  of  complaint  against  another,  he  should 
state  it  in  writing ;  that,  notwithstanding  the  ex- 
press orders  which  had  been  sent  to  them  to  pre- 
vent riotous  meetings,  they,  without  any  complaint 
being  made   to    the  King,   had   ventured   to  as- 
semble "  a  greater  number  of  persons,  and  thereto 
^^  had  appointed  time  and  place,  than  had  before 
"  been  collected  in  this  country  within  the  me- 
"  mory  of  man."     The  Earls  were  then  assured, 
that  if  any  lives  were  lost  in  consequence,  both 
themselves    and    all    who    assisted   them   should 
be    "  so   chastised, "    that    they    and   all    others 
"  should   have   matter   and    cause    to    eschew  to 
"  attempt   any  thing  like  hereafter;"  and   as  for 
themselves,  they  were  told  that  if  they  had  "  so 
**  attempted  against  our  estate  and  yours,  deserving 
"  thereby  to  be  stranged  from  the  occupation  of 
^^  the  said   estate   that  ye  stand,  we  shall  in  no 
"  wise  spare  you  in  this  case,  but   rather  more 
"  grievously  punish  you  than  we  would  do   the 
"  least  person  in  our  land,  the  which,  nevertheless, 
"  as  the  Lord  knoweth,  we  would  be  right  loth 
"  to  do."^     To  Lord  Egremont  himself  a  letter  of 
still   greater   severity  was    dispatched.      He    was 
reminded    that    the    King  had   not   long   before, 
(namely,  in  November  1449,)  raised  him  to  the  rank 
of  a  Baron,  not  for  the  services  he  had  rendered, 
but  from  confidence  in  those  he  would  perform. 


^  pp.  159,  ISlfpostea. 


PREFACE.  xlvii 

especiallj  in  preserving  the  peace  of  the  country ;  38  Hen.vi. 
but  that,  instead  of  doing  so,  he  had  used  his 
influence  for  a  contrary  purpose,  for  which  he 
deserved  to  be  deprived  of  that  rank,  especially 
as  ie  had  not  only  disobeyed  the.  King's  com- 
maods  sent  to  him  in  the  preceding  July,  but 
continued  daily  to  assemble  armed  persons,  ready 
for  the  field,  as  if  it  were  a  time  of  war.  He  was 
therefore  strictly  enjoined  to  disperse  his  followers, 
and  to  maintain  the  public  peace  by  every  means 
in  his  power.  ^  Sir  John  Neville  received  a  letter 
to  the  same  purport,  omitting  only  the  preamble 
which  referred  to  the  dignity  of  the  Peerage.^ 

The  loss  of  Guienne,  which  happened  soon 
after  the  fatal  battle  of  Chastillon,  in  July  in  this 
year,  the  mental  imbecility  into  which  the  King 
had  fidlen,  the  disturbances  in  the  North,  and  the 
dissensions  among  some  of  the  most  powerful 
noblemen  of  the  Bealm,  induced  the  Ministers  to 
summon  a  Great  Council  in  October.  Though 
entitled  to  attend  that  meeting,  as  a  right  incidental 
to  his  Peerage,  there  is  some  doubt  whether  the 
Duke  of  York  was  originally  summoned  to  be 
present.  Such  an  omission  would  have  been  little 
short  of  an  insult,  if  not  almost  an  imputation  of 
treason  ;  but  it  is  certain,  from  a  remarkable  docu- 
ment in  a  subsequent  page,  that  the  Duke  either 
had  not,  or  pretended  not  to  have,  received  a  com- 
mand to   attend.      The   circumstance   appears  to 


1  pp.  l6l'\6S^pa8tea.  ^  p.  163,  poHea. 


xlviii  PREFACE. 

82Hen.vi.  have  excited  considerable  interest,  as  Sir  James 

1453. 

Tyrrell,  himself  a  member  of  the  Comicil,  was 
sent  to  him  in  the  King's  name,  with  a  summons 
in  the  usual  fonn  ;  and  he  was  ordered  to  acquaint 
him  that  one  object  of  assembling  a  Great  Council 
was  to  restore  harmony  among  the  Peers  of  the 
Realm,  and  that  as  it  was  supposed  dissension 
existed  between  the  Duke  and  some  other  Lords^ 
the  King  desired  his  attendance,  stipulating,  how- 
ever, that  he  should  not  be  accompanied  by  an 
unusual  number  of  followers.^ 

The  Duke  of  Somerset  was  not  a  party  to 
this  communication  to  the  Duke  of  York,  which 
was  probably  meant  as  an  invitation  to  him  to 
assume  the  direction  of  affairs ;  for  it  is  the  earliest 
notice  that  has  been  found  of  a  change  in  the 
policy  of  the  Government,  and  it  was  speedily 
followed  by  his  obtaining  absolute  power.  York 
attended  the  Council  early  in  December  following, 
when  the  next  of  its  proceedings,  now  extant,  took 
place  ^;  but  the  Duke  of  Somerset  was  not  present 
on  the  occasion,  and  in  January  following  that 
personage  was  committed  to  the  Tower.^ 
14?54.  On  the  13th  of  February  1454,  authority  was 

granted  to  the  Duke  of  York,  as  the  King's  Lieu- 
tenant, to  assemble  Parliament  on  the  15th  of  that 
month/     One  of  the  first  subjects  to   which  the 


1  pp.  163,  164,  poHea.  2  p.  165,  postea. 

8  See  an  article  respecting  Somerset's  imprisonment,  in  pp.  Ixiii — Ixy. 

4  Fcedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  344.     Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  240. 


PREFACE.  xlix 

Lords  of  the  Council  directed  their  attention  was  S2  Heii.Vl* 
the  King's  health.  On  the  15th  of  March,  they 
agreed  that  a  Commission  should  be  issued  to 
three  physicians  and  two  surgeons,  to  attend  and 
prescribe  for  Henry's  illness;  and  the  minute 
manner  in  which  their  powers  are  described  is 
not  a  little  curious.^  The  Commission  itself  was 
not,  however,  issued  until  the  6th  of  April,  nearly 
three  weeks  after.^  Cardinal  Kemp,  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  the  Lord  Chancellor,  died  on  the 
22nd  of  that  month;  and  it  became  absolutely 
necessary,  for  the  appointment  of  his  successor,  to 
ascertain  the  exact  state  of  the  King's  mind.  A 
Committee,  consisting  of  twelve  Peers,  was  accor- 
dingly sent  to  Henry,  at  Windsor,  to  learn  his 
pleasure  on  the  subject.  The  Committee  returned, 
and  made  its  report  on  the  25th,  to  the  effect 
that  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  an  answer  from 
the  King,  who  did  not  recognize  them,  nor  even 
seem  aware  of  their  presence ;  and  that  to  tlieir 
inquiries  "  they  could  get  no  answer  or  sign  for 
no  prayer  nor  desire  lamentable  cheer  nor  ex- 
hortation, nor  any  thing  that  they  or  any  of 
*^  them  could  do  or  say,  to  their  great  sorrow  and 
*^  discomfort."^  The  apathy  into  which  Henry  had 
fallen  was  not  mental  only  :  his  bodily  illness  was 
no  less  severe,  for  he  was  obliged  to  be  led  be- 
tween two  men  from  one  room  to  the  other.* 


64 

66 


1  pp.  166,  167,  postea,  2  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  347. 

3  Rot.  Pari.,  vol.  v.  pp.  240,  242.  4  Und. 

VOL.  VI.  d 


1  PREFACE. 

32Hen.VL  In  this  emergency  the  Lords   proceeded  to 

provide  for  the  exercise  of  the  Royal  authority,  on 
the  27th  of  the  same  month,  by  electing  and 
nominating  (without  any  reference  to  the  Com- 
mons) the  Duke  of  York,  as  Protector  and  Defender 
of  the  Kealm,  during  the  King's  pleasure.^  The 
Duke,  however,  wisely  insisted  upon  deriving  his 
authority  from  an  Act  of  Parliament ;  and  it  is 
remarkable  that  he  should  state,  in  his  answer  to 
the  Lords,  that  he  accepted  the  office  "  not  from 
"  his  own  presumption,  but  only  of  the  due  and 
"  humble  obedience  that  I  owe  to  do  unto  the 
"  King,  our  most  dread  and  Sovereign  Lord,  and 
"  to  you,  the  Peerage  of  this  land,  in  whom,  by 
"  the  occasion  of  the  infirmity  of  our  said  Sove- 
"  reign  Lord,  resteth  the  exercise  of  his  authority."^ 
In  compliance  with  his  request,  that  his  powers 
might  be  specified,  the  Lords  declared  him  "  Chief 
"  of  the  King's  Council,  and  Protector  and 
**  Defender  of  the  Realm,"  in  preference  to 
*^  the  title  of  Tutor,  Lieutenant  Governor,  or 
"  Regent,  or  any  name  which  might  imply 
"  authority  of  governance  of  the  land."  The 
Duke  further  desired  that  such  Peers  as  might 
be  chosen  members  of  the  Council  should  accept 
the  office ;  to  which  the  Lords  replied,  that  those 
who  were  named  of  the  Council  should  consult 
together  on  the  subject.  An  Act  was  passed,  ac- 
cording to  the  Duke's  desire,  with  the  assent  oF 


J  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  242. 


PREFACE.  li 

the  Commons,  on  the  3rd  of  April ;  but  the  dura^  32  Hen.  vi. 
tion  of  the  Protectorship  was  limited  to  the  King's 
pleasure,  and  was  to  cease  when  "  Edward,  the 
"  King's  eldest  son,"  attained  to  years  of  discretion.^ 
The  first  exercise  of  the  Protector's  authority 
was  to  consolidate  his  power,  by  appointing  his 
brother-in-law,  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  Lord  Chan- 
cellor, whose  patent  for  that  office  was,  in  fact, 
dated  *  on  the  day  before  the  Statute  consttituting 
the  Duke  Protector  of  the  Realm,  was  passed ;  but 
it  is  evident  fi-om  the  Minutes  of  the  Council  four 
days  before^,  that  he  was  even  then  considered  as 
Chancellor.  Salisbury  was  the  first  and  only  lay- 
man who  had  held  that  situation  during  Plenry's 
reign ;  and  he  was  succeeded  by  an  ecclesiastic 
early  in  the  following  year.  The  Captaincy  of 
Calais,  one  of  the  most  confidential  posts  in  the 
gifi:  of  the  Crown,  was  soon  after  conferred  upon 
Salisbury's  eldest  son,  the  Earl  of  Warwick.  In 
the  promotion  of  Bishops,  recommended  by  the 
Council  on  the  30th  of  March,  Salisbury's  influence 
is  also  apparent ;  for  although  his  son,  George 
Neville,  was  not  then  elevated  to  the  Episcopal 
bench,  it  was  specially  provided  that  he  should 
have  the  next  vacant  See ;  and  in  1456  he  was 
elected  Bishop  of  Exeter.*  This  Minute  shews, 
what  perhaps  has  never  been  doubted,  that  for- 
merly, as  in  more  recent  times,  high  birth  afforded 


1  Rot,  ParU  vol.  v.  pp.  24-2,  243.     ^  Fcedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  345. 
»  30th  March,  p.  169,  postea.  ^  Vide  p.  169,  and  p.  Ixxvii,  postea. 

d  2 


lii  PREFACE. 

32  Hen. VI,    Strong  claims  to  a  mitre,  for  Thomas  Bourchier, 

Bishop  of  Ely,  a  great  grandson  of  King  Edward 
the  Third,  was  then  selected  for  the  Archiepiscopal 
See  of  Canterbury,  in  consequence  of  his  "  great 
"  merits,  virtues,  and  great  blood  that  he  is  of;" 
and  though  George  Neville's  virtues  and  "  cun- 
"  ning"  were  mentioned,  his  "  blood,"  and  being 
"  son  to  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  the  Chancellor," 
are  specially  noticed,^ 

A  dispute  having  arisen,  as  to  who  was  legally 
Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  it  was  ordered  that  all  grants 
assigned  for  that  country  should  be  paid  to  the 
Treasurer  of  England  only,  until  the  question  was 
decided ;  but  the  matter  having  been  settled,  the 
Council,  on  the  15th  of  April,  rescinded  its  former 
order.^ 

On  the  16th  of  April,  the  Council  was  spe- 
cially directed  to  assemble  on  the  6th  of  May,  to 
take  measures  for  the  internal  government  of  the 
Realm,  and  for  its  exterior  defence,  particularly  for 
the  safeguard  of  Calais.^  This  article  is  presumed  to 
contain  the  names  of  all  the  Members  of  the  Privy 
Council  on  the  16th  of  April,  whence  (supposing  it 
to  be  perfect)  it  appears  that  the  Council  consisted 
of  the  Dukes  of  York,  Norfolk,  and  Buckingham  ; 
the  Archbishop  of  York,  the  Bishops  of  Winchester, 
Ely,  Norwich,  Lichfield,  and  Lincoln ;  the  Earls 
of  Salisbury,  Warwick,  Oxford,  Worcester,  Shrews- 


1  p.  169,  postecL,  2  pp^  172,  173,  postecu 

«  pp.  174,  175,  posfea. 


PREFACE.  liii 

bury,  and  Wiltshire;  the  Prior  of  St.  John's  of  32Hen.vi. 
Jerusalem  ;  the  Lords  Cromwell,  Sudeley,  Scales,  ^^^' 
Dudley,  Stourton,  Willoughby,  and  Clinton  ;  Sir 
Thomas  Stanley,  and  John  Say,  Esquire.  As  there 
is  not  any  correct  list  of  the  Council  for  some  time 
before  the  Duke  of  York  became  Protector,  it  is 
uncertain  what  changes  he  made  in  that  body ; 
but  the  names  of  the  Bishops  of  Salisbury  and 
Rodiester,  who  were  present  when  the  Duke  was 
summoned  to  attend  the  Council  on  the  24th  of 
October  1454,  and  of  Sir  Thomas  TyrrelP,  who 
was  the  bearer  of  that  summons,  are  not  in  the 
preceding  list  Nor  does  it  agree  with  the  names 
of  those  persons  who  were  present  in  the  Council 
on  the  15th  of  March,  or  on  the  1st  and  8th  of 
April ;  nor  even,  exactly,  with  those  who  attended 
on  the  preceding  day.  The  more  recent  variations 
were  the  omission  of  Robert  Neville,  Bishop  of 
Durham ;  of  the  Bishops  of  London,  Worcester,  and 
Hereford ;  of  Jasper  Earl  of  Pembroke,  and  the 
Earl  of  Devon  ;  of  the  Abbots  of  Battle,  Gloucester, 
and  Selby ;  and  of  the  Lords  Say,  Abergavenny, 
Scrope,  Fauconberg,  Greystock,  and  "  Talbot."^ 

The  only  new  members  were  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk,  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  Lord  CromweD,  Sir 
Thomas  Stanley,  and  John  Say.  It  appears,  there- 
fore, that  on  the  16th  of  April  the  Council  was  re- 

1  Sir  ThomaB  TyrreD,  with  Sir  William  Lucy,  Sir  Thomas  Stanley, 
and  Sir  Thomas  Harrington,  were,  however,  summoned  to  attend  a 
Great  Council  on  the  25th  of  June  in  that  year.    p.  iS6,postea, 

3  It  is  doubtful  who  the  person  was  who  signed  himself  <^  Talbot" 

d  3 


liv  PREFACE. 

32  Hen. VI.  modelled,  by  the  addition  of  five  Yorkists  and  the 
^*^*  dismissal  of  fifteen  persons  ;  and  that  it  was  made 
to  consist  of  twenty-seven,  instead  of  thirty-seven 
members/  The  omission  of  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  whose  predecessors  had  claimed  a  seat 
in  the  Privy  Council  as  a  matter  of  right^,  is  ex- 
plained by  that  See  being  then  vacant.  Thomas 
Bourchier,  the  next  Archbishop,  who  was  at  that 
time  Bishop  of  Ely,  was  one  of  the  new  Council, 
and  did  homage  for  the  See  of  Canterbury  early 
in  September  1454.^ 

Though  many  of  the  Peers  who  attended  that 
Parliament  had  agreed  to  provide  soldiers,  at  their 
own  cost,  for  the  defence  of  Calais,  which  was 
menaced  with  a  siege  by  as  great  an  army,  both 
by  sea  and  land,  as  the  French  and  their  allies 
could  possibly  collect,  and  "  such  as  had  not  before 
"  been  seen,"  it  became  necessary  to  apply,  on 
the  17th  of  April,  to  such  Lords  as  had  not  con- 
tributed, to  imitate  the  example  of  their  Peers,  or 
to  make  grants  of  money  for  the  purpose,  in  consi- 
deration of  what  "a  jewel"  that  town  was,  with  what 
"  labour,  pain,  and  outrageous  costs"  it  had  been 
acquired,  and  the  injury  which  would  attend  its 
loss/ 

In  May,  the  Protector  commenced  vigorous 
proceedings  against  Lord  Egremont  and  the  Percys, 

1  Before  the  16th  of  May  the  Dean  of  St.  Severin  was  appointed  a 
member  of  the  Council,    p.  130,  pastea. 

2  Vide  Rot.  Pari.,  vol.  iii.  p.  223. 

^'  Paston  Letters,  vol.  iii.  p.  223.  •*  pp.  175-177,  posiea. 


PREFACE.  ]v 

and  other  rioters  in  the  North,   actuated  partly,  32Heii.vi. 

.  14S4 

perhaps,  by  the  Earl  of  Salisbury's  animosity  against 
them.     The  mediation  of  the  Archbishop  of  York 
had  succeeded  in  preventing  many  of  the  mischiefs 
which  were  likely  to  ensue  from  those  tumults ;  but 
on  the  10th  of  that  month,  the  Earl  of  Northumber- 
land was  reminded  of  his  son's  disobedience  ;  and 
after  being  informed,  that  such  conduct  would  no 
longer  be  permitted,  was  told  that  his  own  pre- 
sence was  desired  before  the  Council  on  the  12th 
of  June.^      The  Duke  of  Exeter,  Lord  Roos,  Sir 
Nicholas  Langford,   and   others   who  were  impli- 
cated  in  these  disorders,  were,  at  the  same  time^ 
peremptorily   commanded    to    appear    before  the 
CoimciL^      Henry  Holland,  the    young   Duke  of 
Exeter,  disgusted  with  the  success  of  the  Yorkists, 
joined  Lord  Egremont  in  disturbing  the  Northern 
districts :  and  in  May,  the  Protector  found  it  ex- 
pedient to  proceed  against  them,  into  Yorksliire> 
in  person^,  where  he  was  received  with  great  re- 
spect*, and  remained  until  the  middle  of  June.* 
Exeter's  misconduct  was  described  in  a  letter  dated 
on  the  3rd  of  June,  in  which  he  was  charged  with 
having  used  the  King's  name  in  furtherance  of  his 
designs  without  any  authority,  with  exciting  the 
people  by  seditious  language  in  the  city  of  York, 
and  in   letters   to  the   inhabitants  of  Lancashire 

1  p  .178,  pastea.  2  p.  179,  postea. 

^  See  letters  to  Sir  Thomas  Stanley  and  Sir  Thomas  Harrington,  dated 
16th  May  1454.     p.  ISO,  postea. 
-*  p-  196,  posted.  *  Paston  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  77. 

d   4 


Ivi  PREFACE- 

S2Hen.vl.    and  Cheshire,  with  assembling  anned  men,  with 

riding  with  banners  displayed  "full  outrageously 
"  and  indiscreetly  "  against  the  Laws,  and  with 
having  irreverently  snatched  the  King's  letters  from 
the  hands  of  his  messenger.  He  was  assured  that 
means  would  be  found  to  punish  him ;  and  he 
was  commanded  to  attend  the  Council  on  the 
25th  of  the  same  month.^  Lord  Egremont  and 
his  brother,  Richard  Percy,  and  some  of  their 
followers,  were  again  rebuked,  and  ordered  to  ap- 
pear on  the  same  day,  and  not  to  break  the  peace 
in  the  meantime.^  The  Abbot  of  Hulme  was 
informed  of  Exeter's  and  Egremont's  conduct,  and 
warned  not  to  allow  any  assistance  to  be  given 
to  them  ^;  and  the  latter,  as  hereditary  Sheriff  of 
Westmoreland,  was  further  directed  to  meet  the 
Duke  of  York  with  the  posse  comitatus.^  The 
Mayors  and  Corporations  of  York  and  Hull  received 
the  King's  thanks  for  having  resisted  the  insur- 
gents, and  for  having  received  the  Duke  of  York 
with  respect  and  cordiality ;  and  they  were  told, 
that  their  behaviour  was  "  to  them  a  perpetual 
"  laud  and  commendation,  and  a  noble  mirror  and 
"  gentle  example  to  all  true  subjects."* 

Exeter  being  driven  from  the  North  by  the 
Duke  of  York,  took  sanctuary  in  the  Abbey  of 
Westminster^,  from  which,  to  the  horror  of  the 

1  pp.  189,  190,  pasUa.  ^  pp.  191,  192,  postecu 

3  pp.l9S,  194>,  postea,        ^  pp.  194, 195,  posiea,       ^  pp.196, 197,  pastea. 

^  Hall,  p.  234.    ^*  It  ifi  said  the  Duke  of  Exeter  is  here  oovertly.     God 
*'  send  him  good  counsel  hereafter."     Vide  a  letter  in  the  Paston  Corre- 


PREFACE.  Ivii 

Abbot  and  Monks,  he  was  taken  by  forceS  and  32Hen.vi. 
sent,  as  a  prisoner,  to  Pomfret  Castle,  at  the  end 
of  July,  in  the  custody  of  Sir  Bryan  Stapleton  and 
two  other  Knights*,  the  cause  of  which  circum- 
stances, in  Exeter's  life,  has  been  hitherto  un- 
known.* Lord  Egremont  contrived,  however,  for 
some  time  to  elude  all  the  efforts  which  were 
made  to  reduce  him  to  obedience;  and  he  not 
only  refused  to  comply  with  the  King's  repeated 
orders  to  appear  and  answer  for  his  conduct,  but 
latterly  kept  out  of  the  way  of  the  bearers  of 
those  commands.  Strong  measures,  therefore,  be- 
came requisite ;  and  about  this  time,  though  the 
exact  date  is  not  stated^,  the  Commons  presented 
a  Bill  to  the  Lords,  which  recited  the  misconduct 
of  Egremont  and  his  brother,  Kichard  Percy,  and 
the  necessity  of  punishing  them  for  the  sake  of 
example  ;  and  Parliament  enacted,  that  proclama- 
tions should  be  issued  in  Yorkshire,  commanding 


spoodence  (voL  i.  p.  77)  from  London.  Another  letter  in  the  same 
Collection  (voL  L  p.  73)  says,  "  as  for  tidings,  my  Lord  of  York  hath 
^*  taken  my  Lord  of  Exeter  into  hb  award.  The  Duke  of  Somerset 
^  is  still  in  prison  in  worse  case  than  he  was." 

1  Stow's  Annals,  p.  400,  where  it  is  said,  that  this  was  done  contrary  to 
an  Older  made  in  the  preceding  Parliament  Stow,  Fabian,  and  Hall 
erroneously  make  Exeter's  imprisonment  at  Pomfret  subsequent  to  the 
first  batde  of  St  Alban's;  and  they  altogether  omit  to  state  that  the 
Duke  of  York  was  made  Protector  as  well  before  as  o/^  that  battle. 

«  pp.217,  218, /xwfca. 

*  Dugdale's  Baronage,  vol.  ii.  p.  82. 

*  It  must,  however,  have  been  after  the  3rd  of  March  1452,  as  the 

letters  which  were  written  to  Egremont  on  that  day  are  referred  to  in  the 
Act. 


Iviii  PREFACE. 

32  Hen.vi.  them  to  appear  before  the  Lord  Chancellor  within 

1454'.  .  . 

a  specified  time,  to  give  bail  to  keep  the  peace,  or 
be  committed  to  prison ;  and  announcing  that  if 
they  did  not  so  surrender  themselves,  they  should 
forfeit  every  thing  they  held  under  the  King's 
grants.  Penalties  were  imposed  upon  their  fol- 
lowers, in  case  they  continued  with  them  ;  and  the 
local  influence  which  Egremont  possessed  is  strongly 
shewn,  by  the  imposition  of  the  enormous  fine  of 
£2,000  upon  the  Sheriff  of  Yorkshire,  in  case  he 
omitted  to  make  the  said  proclamations,  and  of  the 
same  sum  upon  the  keeper  of  any  prison  out  of 
which  that  nobleman,  or  his  brother,  might  make 
their  escape.^ 

The  statements  of  Fabian  and  other  chroni- 
clers, if  correct  in  dates,  shew  that  Egremont 
was  not  subdued  until  two  or  three  years  after- 
wards, as  they  say,  under  the  35th  of  Henry  the 
Sixth,  1456-1457,  that  in  that  year  there  was  a 
great  fray  in  the  North,  between  Lord ;  Egremont 
and  the  sons  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  in  which 
many  persons  were  wounded  or  slain  ;  but  that  in 
the  end  Egremont  was  taken  and  adjudged  to  pay 
considerable  sums  to  the  Earl  of  Salisbury;  and 
that  being  unable  to  do  so,  or  to  find  security,  he 
was  committed  to  Newgate,  from  whence,  after 
being  some  time  confined,  he  and  three  others 
made  their  escape  by  night, "  to  the  great  charge 
"  of  the  Sheriffs/'^      Stow  adds,  that  Egremont's 


1  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  395. 

2  Fabian,  ed.  1811.  p.  632;  Chronicle  of  London,  p.  139. 


PREFACE.  lix 

brother,  Richard  Percy,   made  his   escape  at  the  32  Hen.vi. 
same  time,  and  that  they  proceeded  to  the  King/ 
It    appears    from    the    agreement    between    the 
Yorkists    and   Lancastrian    Lords,   made    by   the 
King  in  March,  36  Hen.  VI.  1458,  that  Lord  Egre- 
mont  and  his   brother  had   been  condemned  by 
the  Justices  of  Assize  in  Yorkshire,  to  pay  8,000 
marks  to  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  and  5,000  marks 
to  his  wife ;  to  Sir  Thomas  Neville,  their  son,  and 
Matilda  his  wife,  2,000  marks ;  and  to   Sir  John 
Neville,    Salisbury's   other   son,    800   marks  ;    all 
which  payments  were  remitted  by  the  said  agree- 
ment.^ 

The  Duke  of  Somerset,  who  was  sent  to  the 
Tower  in  January,  was  then  still  a  prisoner ;  and 
Air.  Sharon  Turner^,  who  has  investigated  the  his- 
tory of  this  period  with  great  industry,  states,  that 
he  was  arraigned  in  Parliament  in  this  year  by 
the  Duke  of  York.  No  notice  of  the  circum- 
stance occurs  on  the  KoUs,  which,  however,  prove 
that  Somerset  was  in  confinement  at  the  end  of 
February  *;  and  the  authority  referred  to  for  the 
fact*  seems  to  place  it  in  the  following  year,  when 
York   certainly  did   exhibit  charges  against  him. 


^  Stow,  p.  402. 

2  Rot  Pat.,  36  Hen.  VI.  part  ii.  m.  9.  The  instrument  itself  is  printed 
in  Whethamstede^s  Chronicle,  p.  424. 

'  Ed.  4to.,  vol.  iii. 

4  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  280.  Somerset  and  Lord  Cobham  were  then 
exempted  from  the  fine  imposed  upon  peers  for  non-attendance  in  Par- 
liament, because  they  were  in  prison. 

^  Whethamstede,  p.  349. 


Ix  PREFACE. 

32  Hen.vi.  At  the  suggestion  of  the  Lords  in  Parliament,  the 
command  of  Calais,  one  great  mark  of  political 
power,  was  taken  from  Somerset  and  conferred 
upon  the  Duke  of  York;  but  the  latter  made 
various  stipulations  before  he  accepted  it,  and  his 
appointment  was  not  completed  until  the  18th  of 

July.» 

Though  temporarily  subdued,  the  Lancastrian 

party  were  by  no  means  deficient  either  in  hopes 
or  courage.  They  had  not  only  succeeded  in 
qualifying  the  power  given  to  the  Duke  of  York 
by  Parliament,  but  they  even  ventured  to  impeach 
one  of  his  friends,  the  Earl  of  Devon,  of  treason  ; 
and,  though  Devon  was  acquitted,  the  Protector 
considered  the  charge  to  touch  his  own  honor  so 
closely,  as  to  induce  him  solemnly  to  deny  the 
imputation  cast  upon  his  loyalty,  caUing  God  and 
all  the  Saints  of  Heaven  to  witness  his  fidelity  to 
his  Sovereign,  and  offering,  as  a  Knight,  to  prove 
his  assertion  in  the  field  against  any  one,  of  suit- 
able rank,  who  would  dare  to  maintain  the  con- 
trary. At  his  request,  this  declaration  was  made 
a  record  of  Parliament,  the  Lords  having  unani- 
mously assured  him  that  they  were  convinced  of 
his  loyalty.^ 

The  next  effort  made  by  the  Lancastrians,  was 
to   obtain   the  release  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset 


1  Rot.  Pari.,  voL  v.  pp.  254-256  ;  Fcedera,  voL  xi.  p.  S51.  The  Duke's 
indentures  with  the  King  on  that  occasion  are  printed  in  pp.  199-206, 
pasted. 

2  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  pp.  249,  250. 


PREFACE.  Ixi 

upon  bail,  which  was  debated  in  a  Great  Council  32  Hen.vi. 
held  on  the  8th  of  July,  pursuant  to  summonses 
issued  on  the  29th  of  May.*  Without  directly 
opposing  the  measure,  it  is  evident,  from  the 
Minutes  of  that  meeting,  that  York  was  very  un- 
willing to  accede  to  it.  He,  therefore,  wished  that 
the  Judges  might  be  asked  their  opinion  of  its 
legality ;  and  suggested  that  it  was  necessary  for 
their  acquittal,  and  to  prevent  misrepresentation, 
that,  considering  the  weight  and  importance  of  the 
matter,  the  sentiments  of  a  greater  number  of 
Lords  than  had  then  attended^,  should  be  ascer- 
tained* York  concluded  his  remonstrance  by  de- 
claring that  he  would  not  assent  to  Somerset's 
release  without  the  advice  of  the  Judges,  and  the 
knowledge    and   consent  of   such   Peers    as  were 


I  This  Great  Council  was  ordered  to  meet  on  the  25th  of  June,  in 
consequence  of  the  attempts  made  by  the  French  upon  Calais ;  and  it 
was  to  deliberate  **  concerning  the  defence  of  the  Realm  outward,  and 
"  the  restful  and  politique  rule  thereof  inward."  All  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  peers  (except  abbots)  and  four  knights  were  summoned  to 
attend  it.  (p.  ISSjpogtetu)  Some  disturbances  appear  to  have  happened 
in  Buckinghamshire  about  that  time,  as  Walter  Duredent,  sheriff  of  that 
county,  was  eonunanded  to  appear  before  the  Council  on  the  25th  of  June, 
to  answer  such  matters  as  should  be  declared  unto  him,  upon  pain  of  being 
fined  ^200.  (p.  195,/NM^to.)  Though  unnoticed  by  historians,  London 
was  raTSged  by  a  seyere  pestilence  in  September  in  this  year.  Neither 
the  Duke  of  York  nor  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  were  then  in  the  metropolis. 
Paston  Letters,  voL  i.  p.  222. 

2  About  twenty-three  Peers  only  were  present  The  number  of  Peers 
summoned  to  the  preceding  Parliament  was  as  follows :  two  archbishops, 
nineteen  bishops,  twenty-seyen  abbots  or  priors,  five  dukes,  twelve  earls, 
three  viscounts,  and  thirty-six  barons ;  forming  forty-eight  spiritual,  and 
fifty-six  temporal  peers,  and  in  all,  one  hundred  and  four. 


Ixii  PREFACE. 

82  Hen. VI.  absent ;  and  he  desired  that  this  his  "  advice,  ex- 

1454s 

"  hortation,  and  declaration  "  might  be  enacted  in 
that  Council,  to  remain  of  record  for  his  acquittal, 
and  be  exemplified  under  the  Great  and  Privy  Seal.^ 

About  that  time,  the  Duke  of  York,  with  the 
view  of  increasing  his  influence,  procured  the 
authority  of  the  Council  to  give  the  King's  livery 
of  Collars  to  eighty  gentlemen  whom  he  might 
select,  all  of  whom  were  to  swear  not  to  be  re- 
tained by  any  person  except  with  the  King's  spe- 
cial licence.^ 

The  advice  of  the  Duke  of  York,  to  refer  the 
question  respecting  Somerset's  enlargement  to  a 
full  meeting  of  the  Great  Council,  was  adopted  ; 
and  on  the  24th  of  July  that  body  was  ordered 
to  assemble  on  the  21st  of  October  ensuing.® 
Fourteen  Bishops,  two  Dukes,  eight  Earls,  and 
seventeen  Barons  were  summoned  to  attend  it,  in 
the  usual  terms  ;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  non- 
attendance  of  the  Bishop  of  St.  David's,  the  Earl 
of  Shrewsbury,  Lord  Berkeley,  and  ten  other 
Barons,  letters  of  a  more  peremptory  nature  were 
sent  to  them,  telling  them  that  if  they  did  not 
attend  on  that  occasion  measures  would  be  taken 
to  compel  them  to  do  so.* 


>  pp.  206,  207,  postea.  2  p.  209,  postea. 

3  <<  There  to  proceed  to  good  conclusion,  with  the  grace  of  God,  in  such 
<<  matters  as  we  called  now  late  our  said  Great  Council  for,  the  which 
*<  be  of  right  great  charge  and  poise,  sitting  us  full  nigh  to  heart"  p.  215^ 
postecu 

*  pp.  216,  217,  posiea. 


PREFACE.  Ixiii 

In  the  meantime  Somerset  continued  a  pri-  32  Heu.vi. 
soner ;  and  it  appears,  from  a  letter  dated  on  the 
28th  of  July,  that   his  principal  accuser  was  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk.    A  long  statement  on  the  subject, 
addressed  by  Norfolk  either  to  the  Privy  Council 
or    to  the    Lords   in  Parliament,    is    printed    in 
the  Paston   Correspondence^  wherein  he  charged 
Somerset  with   having  usurped   undue  authority, 
and  been  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  Normandy  and 
Guienne ;    and  complained   that  justice  had   not 
been  done  on  the  occasion.     Norfolk  was  ordered 
to  appear  before  the  Council  on  the  28th  of  Oc- 
tober, to  substantiate  his  charges ;  and  so  to  de- 
mean himself  in  the  interval,  that  the  public  peace 
might  not  be  disturbed  by  his  followers  or  him- 
self.^    Nothing  more  occurs  in  the  article  printed 
in    this  volume    on    the   subject.     The  Duke   of 
Somerset  remained  in  the  Tower  until  February  in 
the  following  year,  when  he  was  brought  before  the 
Council  and  admitted  to  bail,  afler  a  confinement, 
Bs  he  himself  stated,  of  one  year  and  upwards  of 
ten  weeks.®     The  Duke  of  York  was  present  on 

1  yoL  liL  p.  lOSy  ei  seq.  ^  pp.  218,  219,  postea, 

s  Pcedera,  ToL  xi.  p.  361.  The  following  curious  document,  respect- 
ing tiie  Duke  of  Somerset's  imprisonment  in  1454«,  occurs  among 
Stow's  Collections  in  the  Harleian  MS.  543,  f.  161.  It  appears  that  the 
King  of  Scotland,  Somerset's  nephew,  had  sent  a  messenger  to  him  to 
inquire  the  cause  of  his  arrest,  and  that  the  Duke's  answer  had  given 
great  offence  to  the  Council. 
**  AwswER  OF  THE  Duke  of  Somerset  to  his  credence  to  hym  sent 

**   BY  THE  KiNGE  OF  ScOTS. 

*'  As  to  the  credence  sent  by  the  Kynge  of  Scotts  to  me  the  Duke  of 
**  Somarset,  which  is  upon  two  poynts,  the  tone  towchinge  the  Kyngs 


Ixiv  PREFACE. 

32Hen.vi.  the  occasion,  and  probably  yielded  a  reluctant 
assent  to  a  measure  which  he  no  longer  had  it 
in  his  power  to  prevent. 


<<  highnese,  to  whiche,  thowghe  I  were  as  at  greate  fredome  as  evar  I 
was,  I  would  not  take  upon  me  to  aunswere  without  the  Kyugs 
comaundement,  or  by  the  advice  of  his  Counseyle ;  but  as  towchinge 
**•  to  the  othar,  towching  my  selfe,  undar  correction,  yet  might  be  by 
^'  me  aunswered  in  the  forme  that  folowithe.  First,  that  I  thanke  the 
"  Kynge  of  Scotts  right  hartely  of  the  good  love  and  affection  that  he 
**  hathe  to  me  his  uncle,  as  nature  will  that  he  shulde.  Notwithstondinge, 
**  as  for  my  beinge  in  the  Tower  of  London,  it  was  done  by  thadvyse  of 
*^  the  lords  of  the  Kyngs  Counseyle,  which,  as  I  undarstand,  was  moaste 
*<  for  the  swertye  of  my  person  ;  and  what  so  evar  moved  them  so  for  to 
"  doo,  if  I  were  alied  unto  all  the  Kyngs  xp'ened  as  nighe  as  I  am  to 
"  the  sayde  Kynge  of  Scotts,  nor  my  will  nor  entent  is  nor  evar  was 
''  to  desire  nor  assent  to  aske  ne  to  have  any  helpe  by  might  of  them 
"  into  thb  realme ;  for  I  have  moche  more  trust  in  my  trwthe  and  the 
**  rightwysnes  of  my  sovereigne  lord  and  the  lords  of  the  land  than  I 
<<  could  have  of  any  might  inward,  and  specially  outward,  thowghe  I 
**  were  allied  as  before  is  sayde. 

'<  Memorandum.  That  in  no  wyse  the  Lords  gyve  theyr  advyse  or 
*<  assent  to  any  aunswere  to  be  gyven  by  the  Duke  of  Somarset  unto 
the  Kynge  of  Scotts  upon  his  credence  to  the  same  Duke,  ministred 
by  Ser  James  Stewarde,  sith  that  the  seyde  credence  came  uonly  unto 
hym,  wherin  any  othar  lord  hath  none  enteresse  ne  nat  owe  to  enter- 
"  mell  thereof. 

"  It'm,  where  the  sayd  Duke,  amonge  othar  things  conseyved  in  a 
''  cedule  by  hym  made  conseminge  his  aunswere  to  the  sayde  credence, 
"  it  is  conteyned,  that  hb  beinge  in  the  Toure  of  London  was  done  by 
"  thadvyce  of  the  Lords  of  the  Kyngs  Counseyle,  which,  as  he  under* 
''  stondithe,  was  moste  for  the  surtie  of  his  person,  he  there  of  dis- 
**  clanderithe  and  blasphemith  the  sayde  lords,  which  of  an  hoole  assent 
"  and  auctoritie  comytted  him  to  the  seyde  Toure  for  suspetion  of  treasoDy 
«  as  by  the  acte  there  upon  made  it  may  appeare. 

<*  And  to  thentent  that  thambiguitie  and  dowghte  beinge  amonge  the 
"  people  whithar  the  seyd  Duke  was  comytted  to  the  seyd  Towar  for 
"  the  surtye  onely  of  his  person,  or  the  seyde  suspection  may  be 
'*  removed,  it  is  right  necessarye  that  the  sayde  acte  be  without  delay 


U 
i( 


PREFACE.  Ixv 

A  few  misceUaneous  Proceedings  of  the  Coun-  ^^  Hen.vi. 
cil,  in  the  32nd  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  remain  to  be 
pointed  out.     From  the  unwillingness  of  many  of 
the  Lords  to  attend  Parliament,  when  the  powers 
of  the  Crown  were  vested  in  the  Duke  of  York, 
an  ordinance  was  passed  on  the  29th  of  February 
1452,  imposing  a  fine  of  from  jC40  to  JCIOO,  ac- 
cording to  their  rank,  upon  every  absentee,  except 
m  cases  of  age  or  sickness,  when  the  Council  was 
authorized  to  mitigate  the  penalties  at  its  discre- 
tion ;  and  the  fines  so  imposed  were  to  be  appro- 
priated to  the  defence  of  Calais*^     Certain  Lords 
were  exempted    from  the   penalty  on  account  of 
being   absent    in    the  King's    service   abroad,  or 
attached  to  his  person  during  his  illness,  and  two, 
because  they  were   in  prison.     Pursuant  to    this 
Act,  the  Council  examined  the  aUegations  of  age 
or  infirmity  made  by  the  Bishops  of  Exeter,  Bath, 
and   Hochester,  the  Earl   of  Westmoreland,    five 
Abbots,  and  by  the  Lords  Grey  of  Groby,  Hunger- 

'*  eafled  and  red  before  the  sayde  Lords,  and  opened  where  it  owght  to 

"  be  opened,  to  thentent  that  the  comyttynge  of  the  seyde  Duke  to  the 

*<  seyde  Toure  be  not  noysed  unlawfully  uppon  the  sayde  Lords  as  in 

**  Btrange  lands,  nor  that  it  be  layde  uppon  them  in  burden  or  charge 

**  at  eny  tyme  here  aftar. 

**  It'm,  that  in  all  wise  the  seyde  credence  be  efte  sones  reported 
**  before  aH  the  sayde  Lords,  by  suche  of  them  as  were  assigned  to  here 
«  the  opeoinge  thereof,  to  the  seyde  Duke  by  the  sayd  Sit  James ;  and 
«<  the  same  credence  ceriously  put  in  writynge  by  the  Clarke  of  the 
**  Parliament,  to  thende  and  affecte  that,  yf  it  be  otharwyse  reported  to 
«<  have  be  seyde  then  it  was  in  dede  to  the  charge  of  eny  person,  it  may 
^  appeare  of  record  suche  as  it  is  of  truthe.** 
1  Rot  Parl^  ToL  y.  p.  248. 

VOL.  VI.  e 


]xvi  PREFACE. 

S2  Hen.VL  ford,  Sctope  of  Masham,  Zouche,  Lovell,  and  Hoo 

1454.  , 

and  Hastings ;  and,  on  finding  them  to  be  true, 
fixed  their  fines  at  fi-om  £10  to  £50  each.^  Lord 
Say,  who  had  been  unjustly  amerced,  was  excused 
fi*om  paying  the  fine,  because  he  had,  in  fact,  been 
present  in  Parliament  within  the  specified  time.^ 

Kalph  Lord  Cromwell,  who  had  exhibited  arti- 
cles of  the  peace  against  the  Duke  of  Exeter  at  the 
commencement  of  the  session^  presented  a  petition 
to  the  Council  in  July,  stating  that  a  priest  of  the 
name  of  Robert  Colynson*  was  at  that  time  in 
the  Marshalsea,  for  having  falsely  slandered  him  ; 
and  he  prayed  that  the  Justices  of  the  King's 
Bench  might  be  ordered  to  detain  Colynson  in 
prison,  until  he  had  satisfied  him  for  the  damages 
he  had  suffered  fi-om  his  conduct,  and  paid  the 
fines  due  to  the  King;  with  which  the  Council 
complied,^ 

In  May  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  Coun- 
cil by  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  stating,  that  at  the 
election  of  Knights  of  the  Shire  for  Suffolk  in  the 
preceding  February,  many  of  his  servants  and 
tenants   attended  to  give  their  votes,  but  that  the 


1  pp.  181,  182,  posted.  2  pp.  187,  188,  postea. 

8  Rot  Pari.,  voL  v.  p.  264. 

4  Vide  Rot.  Pat.  31  Hen.  VI.  m.  16.  for  the  proceedings  in  this  matter. 
Colynson  was  probably  the  person,  who  is  thus  mentioned  in  a  letter 
in  the  Paston  Correspondence,*  written  in  July,  in  or  about  this  year  z 
«*  The  priest  that  accused  Lords  Cromwell,  Grey,  and  my  master  (Sir 
<<  John  Fastolf)  will  confess  who  caused  him  to  do  it,  so  that  he  may 
«  have  hb  life."    Vol.  iii.  p.  129. 

^  ^.I99y pastea. 


PREFACE.  Ixvii 

"Sheriff,  wishing  **  to  make  Knights  of  the   Shire  S2  Hen.vi. 
*'  after  his    own    intent,    and    for    his    singular 
*'  cx)vetise,"  and   to   injure  the   Duke's  retainers, 
had  charged  them,   in   the  Court  of  Exchequer, 
with  having  impeded  the  election,  and  by  threats 
and  menaces  prevented  his  officers  from  perform- 
ing their  duty.     The  Duke  said  these  accusations 
were  totally  unfounded,  and  he  requested  that  the 
parties  against  whom  they  were  brought  might  be 
allowed  to  answer  by  attorney.^     It  must  be  ob- 
served, that  this  complaint  came  with  rather  an  ill 
grace  from  a  nobleman  who  had  frequently  inter- 
fered in  such  matters,  and  who  had  shewn  consi- 
derable  displeasure   whenever  his  nominees  were 
not  chosen,  or  when  any  attempt  was  made  to 
prevent  their  election.^ 

It  unfortunately  happens  that  the  few  extant  33  Hen.vi. 
Proceedings  of  the  Council  in  the  33rd  of  Henry     ^*^*' 
the  Sixth,  throw  little  light  upon  the  important 
events   of  that  year.      The   King    recovered  his 
health  and  reason  about  Christmas  1454^  and  soon 
afterwards   resumed    the    exercise  of  the   Royal 
authority.     The   Protectorate    was   terminated   in        1455. 
January,  and  the  Duke  of  Somerset  was  released 


1  pp.183,  ISif,  pastea. 

3  See  the  Paston  Correspondence,  vol.  i.  p.  97,  and  vol.  iii.  p.  241.  An 
instance  of  the  Duke  of  York's  interference  in  elections  occurs  in  vol.  i. 
p.  99,  of  the  same  collection ;  and  the  interest  which  was  then  felt  on 
those  occasions  is  shewn  by  letters  in  voLiii.  pp.  153}  159. 

^  Paston  Letters,  voL  L  p.  80. 

e  2 


Ixviii  PREFACE. 

33  Hen.VL  from  the  Tower,  on  bail  S  upon  the  7th  of  February 
1455;  but  in  March  his  recognizances  were  dis- 
charged upon  his  petition,  in  which  he  stated  that 
he  had  been  imprisoned  "  without  any  reasonable 
"  ground  or  lawful  process."^ 

No  sooner  had  the  Queen's  party  recovered 
power,  than  the  friends  of  the  Duke  of  York  were 
removed  from  their  offices*  Salisbury  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  as  Lord  Chan- 
cellor, and  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  became  Lord 
High  Treasurer.  On  the  4th  of  March  the  King, 
to  avoid  dissensions,  took  the  Captaincy  of  Calais 
into  his  own  hands  ®;  and  he  induced  York  and 
Somerset  to  consent  that  their  quarrel  should  be 
settled  by  arbitration  in  the  following  June* 
Before  that  time  arrived,  however,  the  Yorkists 
again  took  arms;  and  having  defeated  the  Lan- 
castrians in  the  battle  of  St.  Alban's,  on  the 
22nd  of  May^  wherein  the  Duke  of  Somerset 
was  slain,  York  regained  his  influence,  and  the 
King  was  obliged  publicly  to  approve  of  his  con- 
duct, and  to  entrust  the  sole  direction  of  affairs 
to  his  hands.  Parliament  having  been  summoned 
to  meet  on  the  9th  of  July,  the  Gk)vemment 
apprehending  a  collision  between  the  Lords  of  the 
two  factions,  wisely  commanded  its  own  supporters 


1  Foedera,  vol  xi.  p.  361.  <  Ibid.  p.  362* 

» Ibid,  p,  363.  *  Ibid,  pp,  362,  363. 

^  A  very  interesting  account  of  this  battle,  and  of  many  events  in  1454* 

and  1455>  will  be  found  in  the  Paston  Correspondence,  vol.  L  pp.  80> 

100,104.118;  and  vol.  iii.  pp.  220-250. 


PREFACE.  Ixix 

to    attend  with    no    other    followers    than    their  33Hen.vi. 

household  servants,  so  that  the  Lancastrians  might 

not  have   any   excuse   for    acting    in   a   different 

manner.^     In  that  Parliament  the  Duke  of  York 

and  his  adherents  were  fully  exonerated  from  all 

blame,  as  well  for  the  battle  of  St  Alban's,  as  for 

their  previous  and  subsequent  proceedings.^     On 

the  24th  of  Jidy,  York,  Salisbury,  and  all  the  other 

LiOrds  then  present,  solemnly  swore  allegiance  to 

the  King,  and  to  defend  his  person  and  authority, 

which  oath  was  ordered  "  to  be  enacted   in  the 

^  Parliament  Roll,  and  also  to  be  written  and  in-? 

"  corporate  in  the  Book  of  the  Council^  there  to 

^  remain  of  record  among   other   acts  and  ordi- 

"  nances/'^     It  is  much  to  be  lamented  that  the 

"  Eook  of  the  Council"  thus  referred  to  no  longer 

exists;  for  with   it  have,   undoubtedly,  perished 

many  of  the  most  important  historical  records  of 

Henry  the  Sixth's  eventful  reign. 

Parliament  was  prorogued  on  the  31st  of  July 
to  the  12th  of  November  following*;  but  before 
adverting  to  what  then  took  place,  or  to  the  cir- 
cumstances which  led  to  it,  such  of  the  Proceed- 
ings of  the  Council  in  the  33rd  of  Henry  the 
Sixth  as  are  interesting,  will  be  pointed  out.  In 
November  1454,  regulations  were  adopted,  by  a 
Great  Council,  for  reducing  the  number  of  ser- 
vants  of  the  Royal  household,  and  for  placing  it  on 


1  |»p.  244,  24%  pasiea.  ^  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  pp.  280,  282. 

»  Md,  pp.  282, 283.  4  Itid,  p.  283. 

e  3 


Ixx  PREFACE, 

33  Hen.vi,  the  3ame  establishment  as  in  the  time  of  Henry 
the  Fifth.  ^  The  Duke  of  Exeter,  who  appears  to 
have  been  committed  to  Wallingford  Castle  in 
February  1455,  and  to  have  been  still  a  prisoner 
there  in  the  following  June^  is,  however,  stated  to 
have  been  conducted  to  the  King's  presence,  from, 
Pomfret  Castle,  about  the  middle  of  March  in  that 
yean^  In  May,  Commissioners  were  appointed 
throughout  the  realm  to  raise  money  for  the  de- 
fence of  Calais,  which  was  then  menaced  with  a 
siege  ;  and  they  were  instructed  to  urge  the  impor- 
tance of  that  "  rare  jewel  for  England''  by  every 
argument  they  could  devise/ 

It  having  been  supposed  that  undue  influence 
was  about  to  be  used  in  the  election  of  Knights  of 
the  Shire  for  Kent,  at  which  the  King  is  stated  to 
"  marvail  greatly,  inasmuch  as  it  is  nothing  to  the 
*'  honour  of  the  labourers,  but  against  their  wor- 
"  ship,  and  against  the  laws  of  the  land  and  ordi- 
"  nances  made  in  that  behalf,"  the  Sheriff  was 
directed  to  proclaim  the  King's  commands,  that 
the  county  should  have  "  their  free  election,"  and 
that  whosoever  interfered  therewith  would  incur  his 
grievous  displeasure.  The  Sheriff  was  also  ordered 
to  take  care  that  the  peace  was  kept  during  the 
election,  and  immediately  to  acquaint  the  Council 
with  the  name  of  any  one  who  might  break  it.^ 

1  pp.  200,  203,  postea.  ^  pp.  234,  246,  pottecu 

8  Fcedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  365.  ^  pp.  234,  244,  po^m. 

^  pp.  246,  247,  posted.    Riots  had  also  taken  place  at  the  election  for 
Cambridge  about  this  time.     Vide  p.  335,  postea. 


The  fear  of  riots  was  justified  by  the  state  of  5S  Hen.vi. 
Derbyshire,  where  tumultuous  assemblies  existed, 
the  leaders  of  which  were  Sir  John  Gresley, 
Nicholas  Gresley,  and  floger  Vernon,  all  of  whom 
were  ordered  to  appear  before  the  Council  in  July, 
to  answer  for  their  conduct.^ 

The  success  of  the  Yorkists  having  excited  the 
anger  of  James  the  Second  of  Scotland,  instead  of 
dispatching  the  embassy  which  he  intended  to 
send  to  this  country,  he  attacked  Berwick  at  the 
end  of  June  or  early  in  July,  with  the  hope  of 
takmg  it  by  surprize ;  but  finding  the  garrison  pre- 
pared, he  abandoned  the  attempt.^  Letters  were 
written,  on  the  9th  of  July,  to  the  Bishop  of  Dur- 
ham, the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  and  the  Lords 
Fitz  Hugh  and  Scrope,  Sir  John  Heron,  and  Robert 
Manners,  Esquire,  thanking  them,  in  the  warmest 
terms,  for  their  services  on  the  occasion.  It  is  a 
remarkable  proof  of  the  rigorous  manner  in  which 
the  presence  of  Peers  in  Parliament  was  then 
exacted,  and  of  their  reluctance  to  attend,  that 
Northumberland  was  exempted  from  appearing  in 
the  Parliament  which  was  at  that  time  sitting,  as 
a  reward  for  the  zeal  he  had  shewn  in  repelling 
the  Scots.  ^ 

Only  two   articles   in   this   year    relating   to 
Foreign  afiairs  have  been  found.     On  the  25th  of 

1  pp.  25Q»  25lyposiecu 

2  Piiikertoii's  Hifitory  of  Scotland,  voL  i.  pp.  232,  233 ;   and  the  Ap- 
peDdbc  thereto,  p.  487. 

3.  pp.  2*7, 250,  j)Qsie(K 

e  4 


Ixxii  PREFACE. 

33  Heii.vi.  July  a  complaint  was  made  to  the  Duchess  of  Bur- 

gundy, that  in  contravention  of  the  treaties  be- 
tween the  two  countries,  one  of  her  subjects  had 
seized  and  imprisoned  the  agent  of  the  Mayor  of 
the  staple  of  Calais,  until  he  surrendered  certain 
money  and  goods ;  and  restitution  was  demanded 
of  that  person  and  all  his  effects.^ 

Alphonso  King  of  Portugal  having  sent  a 
mission  to  this  country  with  letters,  requesting  that 
some  infractions  of  the  treaties  between  the  two 
Kingdoms,  might  be  repaired,  and  the  aggressors 
punished,  was  told,  in  August,  that  Henry  had 
appointed  persons  to  confer  with  his  envoys,  that 
his  wishes  should  be  complied  with,  and  that  every 
thing  which  was  in  Henry's  power  to  maintain  the 
peace  should  be  performed.^  That  the  assurances 
of  friendship  then  made  to  Alphonso  were  sincere, 
appears  from  the  &ct,  that  he  had  been  elected 
into  the  Order  of  the  Garter ;  and  his  robes  were 
directed  to  be  sent  to  him  in  November  in  this 
year.* 

34  Hen.vi.  In  cousequeuce  of  the  King  having  relapsed 

into  his  former  iUness  in  the  summer  of  1455*, 
power  was  given  to  the  Duke   of  York,  on   the 


1  pp.  253,  254,  postea.  3  pp.  257-258,  pasiea. 

3  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  368. 

4  On  the  5th  of  June  1455,  Kemer,  dean  of  Salisbury,  an  **  expert^ 
*<  notable,  and  proved  man  in  the  craft  of  medicine,"  was  [commanded 
to  attend  the  King  at  Windsor,  who  was  then,  *^  as  Kemer  well  knew/' 
labouring  under  **  sickness  and  infirmityes.''    Foedera,  vol.  xL  p.  366. 


PREFACE.  Ixxui 

10th  of  November  in  that  year,  to  hold  the  Par-  34  Hen.vi. 
liament  which  was  then  about  to  assemble ;  and, 
with  the  assent  of  the  Council,   to    dissolve   it. 
The  Minute  of  the  determination  of  the   King, 
with  the  advice  of  the  Council  and  of  the  Lords 
Spiritual   and  Temporal   on  that   subject,   is   the 
earliest  Proceeding  of  the  Privy  Council  in  the 
34th  of  Henry  the  Sixth  recorded  in  this  volume.^ 
Immediately  after  Parliament  had  assembled,  a 
general  pardon  of  all  treasons  and  other  offences 
committed  since  the  9th  of  the  preceding  July  was 
declared*;  and  on  the  11th  of  November  the  Com- 
mons, who  had  twice  before  agitated  the  question, 
stated  numerous  reasons  to  the  Liords,  to  shew  the 
necessity  of  re-appointing  a  Protector  of  the  Kealm* 
The  Lords  answered,  that  the  King,  with  their  con- 
sent, had  named  the  Duke  of  York  for  that  office, 
who  accepted  it  upon  certain  terms.     One  of  those 
conditions  was,  that  as  some  Members  of  the  Privy 
Council  had  not  theretofore  attended  as  diligently 
as  they  ought  to  have  done,  from  which  neglect 
many  af&irs  had  been  **  thrown   into  great  and 
*^  jeopardous  omission,  not  executed,"  Parliament 
should  appoint  a  proper  number  of  Peers,  Members 
of  the  Council,  "  not  of  favor  nor  affection,  but 
*^  such  as  be  approved  of  virtuous  and  righteous 
"  disposition,  of  reason,  wisdom,  and  indifferency, 
"  and  as  will  apply  them  to  the  tenderness  and 
"  good  zeal  of  the  honor  and  profit  of  our  said 


pp,  261,  262,  postea.  2  Rot  ParL,  vol.  ▼.  pp.  283,  284-. 


IxxW  PREFACE, 

54  Hen.VL  "  Sovereign  Lord,  and  the  good  publique  of  his 

^     "     «  gaid  land  and  people  ;  throwing  therefore  out  of 

«  their   minds  and  remembrances  the  favor   and 

"  affection  of  all  other  things,  and  the  dread  and 

"  nighness  of  any  other  person  earthly/'^ 

The  Duke  of  York  was  appointed  Protector  and 
Defender  of  the  Kealm  for  the  second  time  on  the 
19th  of  November  1455^  J  but  on  the  22nd  of  the  same 
month  the  King  committed  the  whole  management 
of  affairs  to  the  Privy  Council,  of  which  York  was, 
as  before,  the  "Chief®,''  with  a  proviso,  that  in  every 
thing  relating  to  his  Majesty's  honor  and  dignity, 
or  to  the  safety  of  his  person,  they  should  inform 
him  "  of  what  direction  they  take  on  them."     All 
the  Members  of  the  Council,  after  protesting  that 
^*  the  high  prerogiative,  pre-eminence,  and  autho- 
"  rity  of  his  Majesty  Royal,  and  also  the  Sove- 
"  reignty  of  them  and  all  this  land,  is  and  always 
"  must  rest  and  shall  rest  in  his  most  excellent 
"  person,"  promised  implicit  obedience  to  his  com- 
mands,  and   to   do   every   thing  to   advance    his 
"  high  prerogative,  pre-eminence,  and  authority,'* 
"  his  high  regalie  and  honorable  estate  and  wel-^ 
"  fare,  and  the  felicity  and  surety  of  his  person, 
"  and  also  to  the  publique  rule  and  government 
"  of  his  land  and  of  his  subjects,  as  fully  as  ever 
"  did  any  Councillors  or  subjects  to  their  Sove- 
*'  reign/'* 


1  Rot.  Parl^  vol.y.  p.  286.         2  /^^  pp.  287-289 ;  Fcedera,  vol  xL  p.  369. 
3  Rot  Pari.,  voL  v.  p.  288.  *  IbidL  pp.  289,  290. 


PREFACE,  Ixxv 

The  style  of  these  proceedings  tends  to  s4Hen.Vl. 
shew,  that  although  Henry  might  not  then  have 
been  in  perfect  health,  he  was  not  so  wholly  in- 
capable of  attending  to  public  business  as  during 
bis  former  illness.  After  declaring  his  son,  the 
young  Edward,  to  be  Prince  of  Wales  and  Duke  of 
Cornwall,  and  passing  an  Act  of  resumption  of  all 
grants  made  since  the  first  year  of  his  reign,  Par- 
L'ament  was  prorogued  on  the  13th  of  December, 
to  the  14th  of  January  following,  one  cause  of 
which  was  said  to  be,  that  the  Duke  of  York  was 
about  to  proceed  into  the  West,  to  suppress  some 
riots  and  disturbances  which  had  led  to  murders 
and  various  other  crimes.^  Parliament  appears  to  1456. 
have  met  in  January  1456,  and  on  the  25th  of 
February  in  that  year  the  Protectorate  ceased^ 
the  King  being  again  restored  to  health. 

Great  difliculty  was  then  found  to  induce  per- 
sons who  were  appointed  Sheriffs  to  execute  the 
office.^  Sir  John  Tempest,  the  Sheriff  of  Lincoln- 
shire, having  positively  refused  to  perform  the  duties 
unless  he  was  guaranteed  against  loss,  the  Council 
were   obliged,   in  November   1455,  to   make    an 


1  Rot.  PaiL,  voL  ▼•  p.  321. 

2  Jind.  pp.  321, 322 ;  Foedera,  voL  xL  p.  373. 

3  See  also  the  Proceedings  of  the  Council  respecting  the  Sheriff  of 
Lincolnshire,  in  March,  34  Hen.VI.  1456,  pp.  331,  332,  postea.  It  like* 
wise  appears,  from  a  Letter  Missive  in  the  Tower,  that  the  King  having 
been  requested  to  excuse  John  Botreaux  from  serving  as  Sheriff  of 
CoiTiwall,  his  Majesty  informed  the  Chancellor,  that  he  <*  would  not 
**  change  him  or  any  other." 


ixxvi  PREFACE. 

S4Hen.vi.  arrangement  to  that  effect^;  but  Hugh  Lowther, 
who  had  shewn  some  unwillingness  to  accept 
the  Shrievalty  of  Cumberland,  was  peremptorily 
commanded  to  act,  upon  pain  of  being  fined 
jG2,000,  as  the  King  would  "  in  no  wise  admit  any 
"  excusation."^  As  shewing  the  disturbed  state 
of  the  country  about  this  period,  and  the  onerous 
duties  and  expences  of  Sheriffs,  the  petition  of 
John  Stanhope,  who  had  been  Sheriff  of  Notting- 
ham and  Derby,  merits  attention.  He  stated,  that 
but  for  the  grace  of  the  Crown  in  remitting  pay- 
ments due  by  his  predecessors,  they  must  have 
been  ruined ;  and  he  prayed  for  a  similar  indul- 
gence, on  the  grounds  that  he  had  been  put  to 
great  expence  in  **  gathering  and  taking  with  him 
"  great  numbers  of  people,  at  his  own  costs,  to 
**  come  to  the  sessions  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  held 
^*  at  Chesterfield  and  Derby  ;  in  divers  times 
^  coming  with  mueh  people  to  hold  your  Shires, 
<*  to  resist  such  people  as  was  not  well  disposed, 
"  and  in  riding  with  much  people,  on  his  own 
"  costs,  in  executing  of  his  office,  because  the 
"  people  is  wild ;  also  in  assembling  300  persons, 
"  by  virtue  of  letters  of  Privy  Seal,  for  the  rescue 
"  of  Berwick,"  and  for  other  purposes.^ 

The  influence  of  the  Nevilles  was  shewn  in  a 
remarkable  manner  about  this  period,  notwith- 
standing the  Earl  of  Salisbury  was  no  longer  Chan- 


1  pp.  263,  264s  272,  275,  poftea.  3  pp.  271,  272,  pogua. 

3  pp.  272,  273,  poHea. 


PREFACE.  Ixxvii 

cellor.   At  the  promotion  of  Bishops  in  April  1454,  S4  Hcn.VL 
it  was  stipulated  by  the  Council,  that  on  the  next 
vacancy  the  EarFs   son,   Greorge   Neville,  should 
be  raised   to   that  dignity,^     The  See  of  Exeter 
became  vacant  in  September  in  this  year,  when, 
from  forgetfulness  of  the  arrangement,  John  Hals 
was  reconmiended  by  the  King,  and  promoted  by 
the  Pope,  to   that  diocese.     It  would,  however, 
appear  that  Salisbury  remonstrated  strongly  against 
the  violation  of  the  promise  which  had  been  made 
to  his  son;   for  in  December  1455  a  letter  was 
written,  in  the  King's  name,  to  the  Pontiff,  and 
signed  by  the  Council,  stating  the  claims  of  "  his 
"  cousin,"  George  Neville,  and  that  at  the  instance 
of  the  Princes,  Peers,  and  the  whole  Commonalty 
of  the  Kealm,  he  had  promised  him   the   next 
vacant  See,  but  had  forgotten  it  when  Hals,  Arch- 
deacon of  Norwich,  was  recommended  for  it ;  that 
Neville    had   been   unanimously   elected   by   the 
Canons  of  Exeter  to  be  their  pastor ;  that  Hals, 
from  regard  to  the  honor  of  that  Church,  and  for 
the  tranquillity  of  the  Realm,  had  relinquished  his 
promotion ;  and  his  Majesty  therefore  prayed  his 
Holiness  to  confirm  Neville's  election.     The  Pope 
complied  with  Henry's  request ;  for  Neville,  who 
seems  to  have  possessed  eminent  abilities,  became 
Bishop  of  Exeter  in  March  following^,  and  in  1459 
Hals  was  made  Bishop  of  Lichfield. 

One  among  the  reasons  assigned  by  the  Com- 

>  pp.  liy  lii,  antea  ;  p.  168,  postm.  ^  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  376. 


Ixxviii  PREFACE. 

•S4  Hen.vi.  mons  for  reviving  the  office  of  Protector  was,  that 
^^^^'     serious  riots  had  taken  place  at  Exeter,  the  Earl  of 

s 

Devon,  with  eight  hundred  horsemen  and  four 
thousand  footmen,  having  robbed  the  Church  in 
that  city,  put  the  canons  and  some  country  gentle- 
men to  ransom,  and  committed  many  other  great 
and  heinous  offences.^  These  disturbances  are 
probably  the  same  as  are  mentioned  in  a  Letter 
from  a  contemporary,  wherein  it  is  said  that  they 
arose  out  of  a  quarrel  between  the  Earl  of  Devon 
and  Lord  Bonville.*  The  tumults  having  assumed 
a  serious  character,  the  Duke  of  York  was  sent 
into  the  West  to  restore  tranquillity ;  and  on  the 
5th  of  December,  letters  were  written  to  the  Earls 
of  Arundel  and  Wiltshire,  the  Lords  Fitzwarine, 
St.  Amand,  and  six  other  Lords,  one  of  whom  was 
Ijord  Bonville,  stating  the  existence  of  the  disturb- 
ance^ and  the  intention  of  the  Duke  of  York  to 
proceed  in  person  against  the  rioters ;  adding,  that 
as  the  affiiir  was  of  great  consequence,  it  was  re- 
quisite that  the  Duke  should  be  properly  attended 
by  Lords  and  other  persons  of  rank,  for  which 
reasons  the  Lords  above  named  were  appointed 
Commissioners  for  the  suppression  of  those  out- 
rages.^  Several  Knights  and  Esquires  of  Devon- 
shire were  directed  to  afford  every  assistance  in 
their  power  to  the  Duke  of  York  and  the  Com- 


1  Rot  ParL,  vol.  v.  p.  285, 

2  Dated  on  St  Simon  and  St  Jude's  day  (28th  October),  and  assigned 
to  the  year  1455.    Paston  Correspondence,  voL  i.  pp.  117>  118. 

3  pp.  267-269,  pagiea. 


PREFACE.  Ixxix 

missioners.^     About  this  time  the  Commons  peti-  S4  Hen.Vl. 
tioned  the  King  in  Parliament,  stating  that  rob-      ^*^^ 
beries  and   murders    had   occurred   in    Cornwall, 
Devonshire,  and   Somersetshire,  between  the  re- 
spective adherents  of  the  Earl  of  Devon  and  Lord 
Bonville;  and  praying  that,  until  a  Commission 
had  inquired  into  the  matter,  it  might  be  enacted 
that  Devon   and  Bonville   should  both   be  com- 
mitted   to  prison  without  bail  or  mainprize,  and 
that  the  Sheriff  of  Devonshire,  who  was  suspected 
of  favoring  Lord  Bonville,  should  be  forbidden  to 
interfere  with  the  processes  of  the  said  Commis- 
sion ;  but  the  King  refused  his   consent  to  the 
BiU.* 

The  Minute  of  the   Council  of  the   11th  of 
December,  empowering  the  Duke  of  York  to  pro- 
rogue Parliament,  is  remarkable  from  one  of  the 
members    of   the    Council    having    signed   it   by 
proxy ;  at  least,  such   is  presumed  to  be  the  im- 
port  of  the    signature,   of   which  a  facsimile   is 
given.^     Letters  were  sent  to  several  Peers  in  De- 
cember, strictly  enjoining  them  to  attend  the  Par- 
liament which  was  to  assemble  in  January  1456*; 
and  those  letters,  which  are  both  admonitory  and 
threatening,  are  additional  evidence  of  the  extreme 
difficulty  of  inducing  Peers  to  perform  their  Par- 
liamentary duties.     The  only  other  article  of  the     1456. 
34th  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  which  remains  to  be 


1  pp.  269-271,  pastea.  3  Rot  ParL,  vol.  v.  p.  332. 

«  p.  275,  posUa.  4  pp.  279, 280,  paHecu 


Ixxx  PREFACE. 

S4Heii.VL  noticed,  is  a  letter,  dated  on  the  8th  of  June  1456, 
to  certain  Knights  and  Esquires  of  Kent,  directing 
them  to  attend  a  Commission  of  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner, consisting  of  several  Peers,  the  Judges,  and 
others,  which  was  to  sit  at  Maidstone  for  the 
trial  of  persons  who  had  committed  riots  in  that 
county.^ 

35  Hen.vi.  Two  unimportant  Proceedings  of  the  Council  ^ 

are  all  which  have  been  found  relating  to  the 
35th  of  Henry  the  Sixth ;  and  though  the  public 
instruments  printed  by  Rymer,  are  far  from  nu- 
merous, the  deficiency  of  information  of  public 
events  of  that  year  is,  fortunately,  supplied  by  the 
correspondence  of  the  Paston  family.^  The  most 
remarkable  transaction  was  the  removal  of  the 
Duke  of  York's  friends  from  the  Offices  of  State 
in  October  1456 ;  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  having 
succeeded  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  as  Chancellor  on 
the  11th  of  that  month*,  and  the  Earl  of  Shrews- 
bury being  soon  afterwards  made  Treasurer  of 
England.* 

s^  ?^^^'  The  very  few  Proceedings  of  the  Council  in 

the  36th  of  Henry  the  Sixth  which  now  remain, 

are  scarcely  deserving  of  notice  in  this  place.     On 

• 

»  pp.  287,  289,  posiea.  2  pp.  290,  SS3,  postea. 

»  Vide  the  Paston  Letters,  voL  i.  pp.  132-135 ;  and  p.  24,  between  May 
and  October  1456 ;  (the  letter  in  which  page  is  erroneously  assigned 
to  the  18th  of  October  1449  instead  of  1456.) 

4  p.  360,  poitea.  *  Rot  Pat.  35  Hen.  VT.  part  I.  m.  16. 


PREFACE.  ]xxxi 

the  29th  of  November  a  Great  Council  was  sum-  ae  Hen-Vi. 

14J5*7 

moned  to  meet  at  Westminster,  on  the  27th  of 
Januaij  in  the  ensuing  year,  which  was  to  deter- 
mine yarious  important  affairs  that  had  been  dis* 
cussed,  but  not  settled,  in  a  similar  assembly  lately 
held,  and  which  the  King  had  attended  in  person. 
The  Peers  were  informed  that  his  Majesty  "  would 
"  have  none  excused  of  his  coming  to  the  said 
"  Council  in  any  wise  that  oweth  to  be  there."^ 
As  the  Earl  of  Arundel  did  not  attend,  a  letter 
was  written  to  him  on  the  14th  of  February  1458,  1*58. 
informing  him  that  the  Great  Council  was  sitting, 
that  the  King  expected  he  would  have  been  pre- 
sent before  that  time,  considering  the  great  causes 
for  which  the  Council  was  called,  "  in  especial  to 
"  set  apart  such  variances  as  ben  betwixt  divers 
"  Lords  of  this  our  realm ;  and,  blessed  be  Jehu, 
"  there  is  such  diligence  done  in  that  behalf, 
"  that  we  doubt  not  but  the  said  variance  shall 
**  take  fruitful  conclusion,  as  we  will  in  all  wise 
"  that  they  so  do ;"  but  as  Arundel  was  "  a  great 
"  Lord"  his  presence  was  necessary,  and  he  was 
therefore  peremptorily  ordered  to  appear.^ 

Henry's  expectations  of  forming  an  amicable 
arrangement  between  his  discordant  Peers  were 
realized ;  and  on  the  4th  of  March  the  terms  of 
agreement  were  drawn  up  in  a  solemn  instrument^ 


I  pp.  290,  293,  postea.  2  pp.  293,  294-,  postea. 

»  It  is  printed  at  length  in  Whethamstede's  Chronicle,  pp.  41 8-428  ; 
vide  also  Fabian,  p.  632.     Both  the  Yorkists  and  Lancastrian  Pee» 

VOL.  VI,  f 


Ixxxii  PREFACE. 

S6 HenVi.  to  which  the  Great  Seal  was  affixed.  A  procession, 
consisting  of  the  King,  Queen,  and  Peers,  to 
St.  Paul's  gave  dignity  and  publicity  to  the  recon- 
ciliation ^;  and  such  poets  as  England  could  then 
produce,  celebrated  the  event  in  rhyme.^  But  the 
hope  of  permanent  tranquillity  proved  fallacious. 
The  real  causes  of  the  hatred  of  the  two  factions 
was  of  a  nature  which  could  only  be  removed  by 
the  total  subjugation  of  one  of  them ;  and  they 
both  availed  themselves  of  the  calm  to  prepare  for 
more  vigorous  proceedings. 

In  March  1458,  the  Council  was  obliged  to 
take  measures  for  resisting  the  French  fleet,  which 
had  put  to  sea,  and  was  on  the  North  coast  of 
England;  and  five  hundred  pounds  were,  there- 
fore, granted  to  the  Earl  of  Warwick  for  the  equip- 
ment of  a  fleet  to  meet  the  enemy.*  His  engage- 
ment with  a  very  superior  force  of  Spaniards  and 
Genoese,  near  Calais,  on  the  29th  of  May  in  this 
year,   when,  after  displaying  great  gallantry,  the 


attended  the  meeting  with  large  retinues,  York  having  140  horsemen, 
and  Salisbury  400,  of  which  number  there -were  80  knights  and  esquires. 
The  Duke  of  Somerset  (the  son  of  York's  former  rival)  was  attended  hj 
200  horsemen.  The  Duke  of  Exeter  and  the  Earl  of  Warwick  had  not 
arrived  on  the  1st  of  February.  Exeter  was  much  displeased  that 
Warwick  should  hold  the  office  of  Captain  of  Calais,  and  have  had  the 
*^  keeping  of  the  sea."  See  a  letter  in  the  Paston  Correspondence,  voL  i. 
pp.  150,  151, 156- 

1  Paston  Letters,  voLi.  p.  154. 

2  Cottonian  MS.,  Vespasian,  B.  xvi.,  printed  by  Mr.  Sharon  Turner, 
vol.  iiL  p.  269»  and  another  copy  in  the  Cottonian  MS.,  Nero,  A.  Ti. 
printed  literally  in  the  Chronicle  of  London,  p.  251. 

3  p.  295,  poiUa. 


PREFACE.  Ixxxiii 

JBnglish  were  defeated,  is  matter  of  history  ^;  and  86  Hcn.vi. 
a  full  account  of  the  battle,  by  a  person  who  was 
present,  is  preserved,^  . 

All  the  Lords  of  the  Council,  which  then 
consisted  of  thirty4;hree  persons,  namely,  the  two 
Ardibishops ;  seven  Bishops ;  the  Dukes  of  York, 
Buckingham,  and  Norfolk ;  the  Earls  of  Warwick, 
Salisbury,  Shrewsbury,  and  Wiltshire;  the  Vis- 
counts Beaumont  and  Bourchier  ;  the  Prior  of 
St  John's ;  the  Lords  Grey  of  Ruthyn,  Welles, 
Scales,  Sudeley,  Fauconberg,  Dudley,  Rivers,  Beau- 
champ,  Stourton,  and  Stanley  ;  Sir  John  Wenlok  ; 
the  Dean  of  St  Severins,  and  John  Say,  were 
ordered,  on  the  26th  of  August,  to  meet  on  the 
1 1th  of  October  1458,  by  letters  which  stated, 
that  though  it  was  their  duty  to  attend  in  Term 
time,  yet,  that  they  were  thus  specially  summoned 
for  matters  "  concerning  specially  our  honor  and 
^  worship,  and  the  welfare  of  this  our  land  and 
«  subjects."^ 

The  only  Proceedings  of  the  Council  of  the  37  Hen.vi. 

_  ,  1459 

thirty-seventh  year  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  which 
have  been  discovered,  are  unimportant.  A  Great 
Council  was  summoned  to  meet  at  Westminster 
on  the  2nd  of  April  1459,  to  deliberate,  among 
other  matters,  on  sending  an  embassy  to  a 
Council    and  assembly  of  Princes,   appointed  by 


I  Fabian,  633 ;  Whethamstede,  4f  7 ;  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  415. 
3  Paston  Letten,  vol.  i.  pp.  15S*160.  '  p.  297s  postea. 

f  2 


Ixxxiv  PREFACE; 

S7Hen.VL  the  Pope  to  meet  on  the  1st  of  June  following, 
for  the  defence  of  the  Christian  faith  against  the 
Turks  and  other  infidels^;  and  the  Bishop  and 
Earl  of  Worcester,  the  Abbot  of  Peterborough, 
Lord  Dudley,  and  Sir  Philip  Wentworth  and 
others  were  selected  for  that  mission.^  In  con- 
sequence of  the  Prior  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem, 
who  was  a  Peer  of  the  English  Parliament,  having 
been  summoned  by  the  Grand  Master  of  the  Order 
to  attend  a  Chapter  at  Khodes  in  October,  a  letter 
was  written  to  that  personage,  by  the  King,  stating 
that  he  would  not  allow  the  Prior  to  leave  Eng- 
land on  account  of  his  age  and  infirmities,  and  of 
the  necessity  of  his  presence  for  his  Majesty's 
service.  The  Castellain  and  other  English  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  were  informed  of  the  Prior's 
anxious  desire  to  obey  the  Grand  Master's  com- 
mands, notwithstanding  his  inability  to  perform 
so  long  a  journey,  and  of  Henry's  having  for- 
bidden him  to  undertake  it ;  and  they  were  more- 
over strictly  forbidden,  as  the  King's  true  subjects, 
to  give  their  consent  to  any  grant  or  charge  which 
the  Chapter  might  impose,  if  it  were  prejudicial 
to  the  laws  of  this  country,  on  pain  of  such  punish- 
ment as  should  be  an  example  to  others.^ 

38  Hen.vi.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  none  of  the 

Proceedings  of  the  Council  throw  any  light  upon 
the  political  struggles  of  the.  year  1459,  the  first 

■'  '■  Mil  ■■     ■■■  ■■■-■■-»  ■  I  ,    «,  ■  ■  ■»..., 

1  J).  298,  postea.  2  p.  202,  postea,  ^  pp.  299-301 ,  past&h 


1460. 


PREFACE.  IxXXV 

document  in  this  volume,  belonging  to  the  38th  of  38  Hen.vi. 
Henry  the  Sixth,  being  subsequent  to  the  battle  of     ^*^* 
Northampton,  in  July   1460,    when  the   Yorkists 
once  more  obtained  the  direction  of  affairs.     On 
the  9th  of  August  in  that  year,  the  Captains  of 
several  Castles  in  Wales  were  ordered  to   defend 
their  fortresses    against  the  rioters  who  were  ex- 
pected to  attack  them ;  to  allow   no   persons  to 
enter  or  fortify  them  ;  and  to  deliver  possession  of 
them  to  no  one,  unless  they  received  special  in- 
structions from  the  King. 

Jasper    Tudor,   Earl   of   Pembroke,    Henry's 
aterine  brother,  the   Captain  of  Denbigh  Castle^ 
and  Roger   Puleston,  his  Deputy,  were  both  in- 
formed,  on    that    occasion,   that    the   King   then 
considered   the    Duke    of  York,    who   had   been 
attainted  of  high  treason,  in  the  Parliament  holden 
at  Coventry,  in  November  1459,  to  be  his  *'  ap- 
"  proved    and   true  liege  man,  and  no   traitor," 
his  "  true  subject,  and  no  rebel,"  his  "  right  faith- 
"  fid  friend,  and  none  enemy ;"  and  that  the  pro- 
ceedings against  him  had  been  instigated  "  only  by 
"  crael   and  malicious  exhortation   of  his  mortal 
"  enemies,"  as  it  appeared  by  proclamations  lately 
made  throughout  England  and  Wales  ;    and  they 
were  commanded  to  deliver  Denbigh  Castle  into 
the    hands  of   the  Duke's   deputy.     Lord   Powis 
was,   at  the  same  time,  ordered  to  surrender  the 
custody  of  Montgomery  Castle.^     New  efforts  were 

>  PP..  303,  304,  jMWteo. 
f  8 


Ixxxvi  PREFACE. 

38Hen.vi,  made  by  the  Council  to  suppress  the  riots  in 
^^^'  Wales ;  and  on  the  17th  of  August,  authority  was 
given  to  Sir  William  Herbert,  Walter  Devereux* 
and  Roger  Vaughan,  Esquires,  to  take  the  neces- 
sary measures  for  that  purpose.  They  were  com- 
manded to  arrest  the  ringleaders  and  detain  them 
in  prison,  unless  they  could  be  safely  sent  to  the 
King;  and  to  take  possession  of  all  castles  and 
other  fortified  places.® 

The  only  other  Proceeding  of  the  Council  in 
the  38th  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  which  has  been 
found,  related  to  Sir  John  Neville,  the  son  of  the 
Earl  of  Salisbury,  and  brother  of  the  Bishop  of 
Exeter.^  Sir  John  Neville,  like  the  rest  of  his 
family,  was  attainted  by  the  Parliament  which 
met  at  Coventry  in  November  1459 ;  but,  without 
waiting  for  the  meeting  of  the  next  Parliament  to 
reverse  that  attainder,  the  King  restored  Neville 
and  his  wife  to  their  estates,  probably  by  virtue  of 

1  The  confidence  thus  shewn  to  Devereux  by  the  Yorkists,  after  their 
return  to  power,  is  deserving  of  notice.  After  the  flight  of  the  Yorkists 
at  Ludiford,  in  October  1459,  Lord  Powis,  Sir  Henry  Retford,  and 
Walter  Devereux,  esquire,  threw  themselves  on  the  King's  mercy,  wha 
promised  them  their  lives,  but  reserved  the  forfeiture  of  their  property. 
(Rot.  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  349 ;  Whethamstede,  p.  473.)  They  were  accord- 
ingly included  in  the  sweeping  act  of  attainder,  passed  in  November 
1459;  but  when  the  King  gave  his  assent  to  that  act,  he  refused  to  agree 
to  so  much  of  it  as  concerned  Lord  Powis  and  Devereux.  (Rot.  Pari., 
voL  V.  p.  350.)  Though  Devereux  was  placed  in  a  post  of  importance 
by  the  Yorkists,  Lord  Powis,  who  was  similarly  circumstanced,  was 
removed  by  them  from  the  command  of  Montgomery  Castle. 

2  pp.  304,  305,  posted. 

3  The  Bishop  of  Exeter  was  appointed  Chancellor  in  the  preceding  July> 
immediately  afler  the  government  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Yorkists. 


PREFACE.  Ixxxvii 

the  power  which  was  specially  reserved  to  the  King,  38  Hen,VL 
when  he  assented  to  the  Act  of  attainder  of  the 
Yorkists  on  that  occasion,  that  it  should  not  affect 
his  Prerogative  "  to  shew  such  mercy  and  grace  as 
«  might  please  him."* 

« 
Nothing  has  been  ascertained  of  the  Proceed-  ^^  i^?'^ 

ings  of  the  Council  in  the  last  year  of  the  reign  of 
King  Henry  the  Sixth,  except  a  few  Letters  which 
were  sent  to  the  Earl  of  Arundel,  the  Lords  Dacre^ 
Delawarre,    Cobham,    and    Abergavenny,    several 
Sherifis,  Justices  of  the  Peace,  Mayors,  and  some 
private  individuals  in  Kent,  on  the  28th  of  January 
1461,  when  the  young  Duke  of  York,  afterwards 
King  Edward  the  Fourth,  was  raising  an  army  to 
revenge  the  death  of  his  father,  who  was  slain  at 
Wakefield   on  the  30th  of  the  preceding  month, 
and  to  resist  the  attempt  made  by  the  Queen  to 
wrest  the  government  from  the  adherents  of  his 
house.     These  Letters   state,   that  the  King  had 
"  certain  knowledge  that  those  misruled  and  out- 
"  rageous    people    in    the  North    parts    of   this 
"  Heahn,   had  been   coming  towards  these  parts, 
"  to  the  destruction  thereof,  of  you,  and  subver- 
**  sion  of  all  our  land ;"  and  the  persons  addressed 
were  commanded  to  come  to  the  King,  in  all  pos- 
sible haste,  with  as  many  followers  as  they  could 
collect,  he  being  about  to  proceed  in  person  against 
his  enemies.^ 


»  Rot  Pari,  voL  v.  p.  350.  2  pp.  307-SlO,  postea. ' 

f  4 


Ixxxviii  PREFACE. 

MisoELLA-  Some  of  the  miscellaneous  subjects  which  occu- 

Articles.  P^^d  ^^^  attention  of  the  Privy  Council  between  the 
twenty-second  and  thirty-ninth  years  of  Henry  the 
Sixth  are  rather  curious. 

In  1445,  a  Knight  in  the  King's  service,  called 
Sir  Andrew  Ogard,  who  was  a  native  of  Denmark, 
having  succeeded  to  lands  in  that  country,  consi- 
dered it  necessary  to  obtain  Henry's  permission, 
before  he  took  possession  of,  and  rendered  the 
duties  required  by  the  Danish  laws  for  them, 
although  at  that  time  the  King  of  Denmark  was 
iu  alliance  with  England.^ 

Two  Petitions  on  religious  matters,  in  1449, 
shew  the  interference  of  the  Crown  in  monastic 
establishments.  A  monk  being  desirous  of  re- 
moving to  an  Abbey  of  more  rigorous  discipline, 
or,  as  he  described  it,  "  to  a  harder  Order," 
for  the  "  more  quiet  and  rest  of  his  soul,  to 
^*  the  intent  the  more  devoutly  to  serve  and 
"  please  Almighty  God,"  procured  the  Pope's  per- 
mission to  do  so,  without  having  first  obtained 
the  King's  sanction,  for  which  he  prayed  his 
Majesty  to  pardon  him.^  The  Prioress  and  Nuns 
of  Rowner  in  Hampshire^  complained  that  they 
could  not  procure  any  priest  to  perform  divine 
service,  or,  as  they  flatteringly  expressed  it,  to 
pray  for  the  King's   noble  estate  and  prosperity. 


1  p.  SB,  pasted.  2  pp.  eSy  67,  pastea. 

»  Rowner  is  called  Rowney,  and  is  erroneously  stated^  in  the  copy  of 
the  petition;  to  be  in  Hertfordshire. 


PREFACE.  Ixxxix 

unless  they  chose  a  young  priest,  which  was  not  Miscei.i,a- 
consistent  with  propriety,  or  one  who  demanded  article^* 
a  larger  salary  than  they  could  pay,     A  "  good  old 
'"  filar,  a  good  preacher,  their  ghostly  father,  and 
"  a  man   of  good   conversation,"  having,  in  this 
-emergency,  performed  service  in  their  Priory,  and 
having  given  great  satisfaction  to  the  neighbourhood 
by  his  teaching  and  preaching,  the  Prioress  and 
ier  sisters  requested  the  King,  "  for  their  ease  and 
"  increasing  of  God's  service,"  to  order  the  Pro- 
vincial of  the  Friars  Minors  to  admit  the  said  friar 
to  the  Priory  of  Rowner,^ 

It  appears  from  the  Council's  Proceedings  in 
1450,  and  from  other  sources,  that  on  the  death 
of  every  Bishop  of  Ely,  the  King,  by  an  ancient 
tmstom,  was  entitled  to  a  horse  saddled  and  bridled, 
a  hat,  a  cloak,  a  ring,  a  cup,  a  lavour,  and  a  mute 
of  hounds,  or  to  a  commutation  for  the  same,^ 

About  1445  or  1446,  the  Red  Book  of  the 
Exchequer,  the  Roll  of  the  Fifteenth  Penny  in  all 
the  Shires  in  England,  the  Register  of  Tenths  of 
all  the  Dioceses  of  England  and  Wales,  and  other 
Rolls  and  Records  in  the  Exchequer,  were  ordered 
to  be  transcribed  in  a  large  and  legible  hand  in 
large  volumes,  as  they  were  then  partly  decayed  by 
-time,  and  in  such  small  writing,  that  they  could 
scarcely  be  read,  whereby  great  injury  was  produced^ 
as  well  to  the  King  as  to  his  subjects.® 


J  pp.  67,  68,  posted.  2  pp.  102,  lOS,  pastea. 

3  pp.  325,  326,  postea. 


xc  PREFAGE. 

MifiCELLA-.         The  Bishop  of  Chester  having  cited  the  Parson 

NEOUS 

Articles,  of  the  Parish  of  Northerdon,  in  his  Diocese,  to 
appear  before  him  to  answer  for  some  spiritual 
offence,  "  according  to  God's  law,"  the  Keeper  of 
the  Seal  of  the  Earldom  of  Chester  sent  the  Bishop 
or  his  Officers  a  prohibition  in  the  matter,  under 
the  said  Seal,  at  which  the  King  said,  ^^  we  mar^ 
"  vel  greatly  and  be  evil  content ;"  and  as  the 
correction  of  souls  belonged  to  the  Bishop,  to  be 
exercised  in  his  Diocese  without  any  impediment, 
the  party  was  ordered  immediately  to  surcease  such 
prohibitions,  and  never  again  to  issue  them,  "  for 
"  the  making  of  such  prohibitions  beth  against 
"  God's  law  and  the  Church's,  and  the  Great 
**  Charter,  the  which,  at  the  time  of  the  receiving 
"  of  our  Crown,  We  be  sworn  upon  the  Holy 
"  Evangelists  to  observe  and  keep.' 


>»i 


Towards  the  end  of  the  volume  several  articles 
have  been  inserted,  belonging  to  the  early  part  of 
the  reign  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  which  were  not 
found  until  after  the  fifth  volume  was  printed, 
together  with  others,  the  precise  dates  of  which 
have  not  been  ascertained. 

Among  those  papers  there  is  one  of  great 
importance,  as  it  affords  new  and  valuable  infor- 
mation, upon  some  points  of  Constitutional  History. 
It  consists  of  Regulations  proposed  by  the  Coun- 
cil, and  afterwards   approved  and  signed  by  the 


pp.  327,  328,  postm. 


PREFACE.  xci 

.King,    respecting    the    manner    in    which    Bills  Mi8c«li.a- 

NSOUS 

or  Petitions  presented  to  him  should  be  exa^  Abtici.c8. 
mined,  his  pleasure  taken  thereon,  and  his  com- 
mands carried  into  full  legal  effect.  The  date 
of  this  document,  which  is  the  original,  is  not 
mentioned  ;  but  it  has  been  assigned,  and  pro- 
bably with  correctness,  to  the  22nd  of  Henry  the 
Sixth,  1443-44.  Though,  apparently,  only  a  frag- 
ment, the  part  which  is  lost  seems,  fortunately,  to 
have  related  to  a  totally  different,  and  less  in-« 
teresting  subject,  because  the  last  paragraph  is  an 
ordinance  for  the  prevention  of  riots,  and  has 
nothing  whatever  to  do  with  what  precedes  it. 

Much  inconvenience  is  said  to  have  arisen 
from  the  King  not  having  always  been  aware 
of  the  contents  of  Petitions,  or  of  the  conse- 
quence of  complying  with  the  requests  of  impor- 
tunate suitors.  After  protesting  that  it  was  not 
the  wish  or  intention  of  the  Council,  in  submitting 
those  propositions  to  the  King,  to  interfere  with 
the  Royal  prerogative,  it  was  suggested  that  when- 
ever a  Lord  of  the  Council,  or  any  other  indi-  * 
vidual,  about  the  King's  person,  interested  him- 
self in  promoting  a  Petition,  he  should  sign  it,  so 
that  it  might  be  known  through  whom  it  had  been 
granted ;  and  if  the  petitioner  himself  could  not 
write,  that  some  other  person  should  affix  his 
name  to  it.  The  Petitions  thus  signed  were  to 
be  delivered  by  the  King  to  the  person  appointed 
to  receive  them,  who  was  to  examine  their  con- 
tents.    If  they  related  to  matters  of  Justice,  or  of 


xcii  PREFACE. 

MiscELLA-  Common  Law,  the  King's  pleasure  was  to  be  taken. 
Articles,  that  they  might  be  sent  to  the  Council,  to  be  by 
them  referred  to  the  proper  Courts,  unless  the 
petitioners  were  unable  to  sue  at  Common  Law. 
In  cases  where  the  Petitions  were  for  matters  of 
grace  and  favour,  the  person  appointed  to  examine 
them  was  to  indorse  them  briefly  with  what,  by 
whom,  and  how  many  things  were  solicited ;  and 
he  was  to  place  his  own  signature  thereto,  in  order 
that  the  King  might  the  more  readily  learn  the 
object  of  such  Petitions,  and  either  give  his  assent 
to  them,  or  send  them  to  the  Council  for  their 
advice.  When  his  Majesty  granted  any  Petition, 
his  commands  were  to  be  written  at  the  foot  of 
it,  by  the  officer  above  mentioned,  that  is,  whe- 
ther it  was  wholly  or  partially  granted;  and  the 
iiate  and  place  at  which,  and  in  whose  presence, 
especially  in  the  presence  of  what  Lords,  the  King 
had  signified  his  pleasure  in  the  matter,  were  also 
to  be  stated. 

The  King  was  then  to  sign  the  Petition  im» 
mediately  under  such  subscription,  or  to  ordei 
his  Chamberlain  to  sign  it,  or  to  take  it  to  his 
Majesty's  Secretary,  with  his  commands  respecting 
it,  "  so  that  from  the  time  that  it  be  made  in 
"  manner  and  form  abovesaid  signed,  no  man 
**  shall  mowe  add  thereto  or  minish.'* 

In  all  Letters  by  which  the  King  granted 
any  thing,  the  following  clause  was  to  be  in* 
sorted :  "  Provided  alway,  that  the  King  hath  not 
"  granted  the  things  asked   to  any  other  persoa 


PREFACE.  xciii 

**  before  this  time."     All  Warrants  to,  and  copies  Miscblla-. 

NEOUS 

of  every  thing  which  passed  the  Signet,  whether  articles.. 
Letters  Missive,  or  other  documents,  were  to  be 
carefully  and  readily  kept,  so  that  it  might  be 
easily  seen  what  things  had  passed ;  and  that 
nothing  might  be  done  contrary  to  former  pro- 
ceedings. With  the  view  of  preventing  hasty  and 
injurious  Grants,  or,  to  use  the  quaint  but  for- 
cible words  of  the  original,  ^^  as  such  thing  as 
^  passeth  the  hands  of  many  persons  shall  the 
«  more  readily  and  sadly  pass,  and  any  hurt  that  ^ 
"  else  might  grow  to  the  King,  or  to  prejudice 
"  of  any  other  person,  the  more  to  be  eschewed,'' 
whenever  the  King  granted  any  Bill  it  was  to  be 
delivered  to  his  Secretary,  who  was  to  prepare 
Letters  for  carrying  it  into  effect,  sealed  with  the 
King's  Signet,  and  addressed  to  the  Keeper  of  the 
Privy  Seal,  and  from  thence,  under  the  Privy. 
Seal,  to  the  Chancellor  of  England. 

If  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  on  receiving 
a  Letter  from  the  King's  Secretary,  considered  the 
matter  to  be  of  great  importance,  he  was  to  com- 
municate it  to  the  Council,  that  the  latter  might, 
in  cases  of  necessity,  acquaint  the  King  therewith 
before. the  grant  passed. 

The  form  of  the  oath  to  be  taken  by  the 
persons  appointed  to  examine  Bills,  was  then  pre- 
scribed, and  to  the  effect  that  he  would  truly, 
justly,  and  faithfully  perform  his  duty,  be  strictly 
impartial,  and  not  accept  of  any  gift  for  expediting, 
promoting,  or  hindering  them- 


xciv  PREFACE. 

MiscBLLA-  The  last  article  of  this  Ordinance  relates,  as  has 

Articlbs.  been  stated,  to  riots  and  disturbances,  for  the  more 
effectual  prevention  of  which,  it  was  determined  that 
no  Lord  of  any  degree  whatsoever  should  knowingly 
receive  or  harbour  in  his  household  any  robber, 
murderer,  outlaw,  ravisher,  or  any  other  notorious 
criminal,  so  that  aggrieved  parties  might  not  be 
deterred  from  prosecuting  them,  in  consequence 
of  the  protection  afforded  by  the  Nobility ;  that 
no  Lord  should,  on  any  pretence,  maintain  any 
other  man's  cause  or  quarrel,  or  be  displeased  with 
any  Judge  or  Officer  for  performing  his  duty 
according  to  Law,  or  impede,  by  word  or  writing, 
the  due  course  of  the  King's  Common  Law ;  and 
that  Lords  should  not  only  observe  this  them- 
selves, but  compel  their  servants  and  others,  over 
whom  they  had  influence  or  authority,  to  do  so 
likewise.  The  neglect  of  these  commands  was  to 
be  punished,  in  the  instance  of  a  Privy  Councillor, 
by  his  dismissal  from  the  Council ;  and  in  the  case 
of  others,  by  being  disqualified  to  become  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  or  to  hold  any  other  office.  This 
part  of  the  ordinance  respecting  riots  was  very 
similar  to  the  measures  taken  in  the  5th  and 
8th  of  Henry  VL^  which  were  repeated  in  the 
1st  of  Edward  IV.^ 

In  these  Regulations  the  first  approach  was 
made  towards  rendering  the  King's  Secretary  a 


1  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  voLiii.  p.  213 ;  voLiv.  p.  S5;  and  RoU 
Pari.  voL  iv.  p.  344 ;  vol.  v.  p.  408.  r 

2  Rot.  Pari,  vol.  v.  p.  487. 


PREFACE.  XCV 

responsible  functionary ;  and  it  is  presumed  that  Miscblla- 
they  shew  when,  and  under  what  circumstances,  Articlbs. 
safeguards  were  established  against  an  improper 
exercise  of  the  Royal  prerogative,  in  granting 
honors,  offices,  lands,  pardons,  or  immunities.  It 
is  remarkable,  that  while  the  Statute  and  Common 
Law  of  this  country  have  been  illustrated  by  some 
of  its  most  learned  writers,  the  origin,  history, 
and  duties  of  several  of  the  highest  Offices  of 
the  Crown,  as  weU  as  many  important  points  of 
Constitutional  Law,  have  been,  comparatively,  ne- 
glected. This  omission  may  be  ascribed  to  two 
causes.  Writers  on  the  Law  have  naturally  directed 
their  attention  to  such  parts  of  their  profession 
as  are  of  the  most  practical  utility  ;  and  they  have 
only  touched  incidentally  upon  questions  of  a 
more  theoretical  nature.  Lord  Coke,  whose  mind 
grasped  every  department  of  legal  knowledge,  has, 
indeed,  often  adverted  to  matters  of  this  descrip- 
tion; but,  unfortunately,  he  has  done  little  more 
than  allude  to  them.  Mr.  Justice  Blackstone  pur- 
posely refrained  from  investigating  the  powers  and 
duties  of  the  great  Officers  of  State,  because  "  he 
^  ddd  not  know  that  they  are,  in  that  capacity,  in 
«  any  considerable  degree  the  object  of  our  Laws, 
^  or  had  any  important  share  of  Magistracy  con- 
"  ferred  upon  them^;"  and  all  he  says  of  the 
Secretaries  of  State,  who  are  now  pre-eminently  the 
fimctionaries    responsible  to  Parliament  and  the 

>  Commentaries^  vol.  v.  p.  338. 


xcvi  PREFACE. 

MiscELLA^  Country  for  the  due  administration  of  the  Law,  and 

KBOUS 

Articles^  for  most  of  the  Acts  of  the  Government,  is,  that 
they  are  allowed  the  power  of  commitment  to 
bring  offenders  to  trial/  Nor  are  the  omissions  of 
Coke,  Blackstone,  and  other  jurists  on  these  sub- 
jects, supplied  by  any  writer  whatever.  A  serious 
obstacle  to  inquiries  of  this  nature  has  hitherto 
existed  in  the  lamentable  condition  of  the  only 
authentic  sources  of  information  —  the  Public  Re- 
cords ;  and  until  Government  shall  cause  them  to 
be  judiciously  arranged,  accurate  catalogues  of  their 
contents  compiled,  and  free  access  to  them  afforded, 
it  will  be  impossible  to  write  the  History  of  ancient 
Institutions  and  Offices,  or  to  understand  thoroughly 
the  machinery  of  the  Constitution.  In  the  mean- 
time, however,  something  may  be  done  towards  the 
illustration  of  these  subjects ;  and  no  apology  can 
be  necessary  for  here  collecting  the  scattered  notices 
which  have  been  found  in  the  Proceedings  of  the 
Council,  and  in  other  sources  of  undoubted  autho- 
rity, respecting  the  Office  of  the  King's  Principal, 
First,  or  Chief  Secretary,  or,  as  it  was  afterwards 
and  is  now  called,  the  King's  Principal  Secretary 
OF  State  ;  the  duties  of  the  King's  Chamberlain' 
in  connection  with  Petitions  and  Grants ;  and  the 
manner  of  carrying  the  King's  Grants  and  Com- 
mands into  complete  legal  effect ;  the  latter  of 
which  subjects  will  occasion  some  observations  ta 
be  made  on  tne  Great  Seal. 


1  Commentariesy  vol.  v.  p.  338. 


PREFACE.  xcvii 

THE  KING'S  SECRETARY.  King* 

Sbcretart, 

In  the  only  attempts  which  have  been  made 
to  trace  the  History  of  the  Office  of  Secretary 
of  State,  the  mistake  has  been  committed  of  sup- 
posing that  there  was  a  close  resemblance  between 
the  duties  of  the  ^  King's  Secretary"  in  the  thir- 
teenth century,  and  those  of  the  "  Secretary  of 
"  State"  of  modern  times.  It  cannot  be  doubted 
that  our  early  Monarchs,  as  well  as  those  of  other 
Countries  S  were  always  attended  by  a  learned 
ecclesiastic,  originally  called  their  "Clerk,"  and 
and  afterwards  their  "  Secretary,"  whose  duty  it 
was  to  conduct  the  King's  correspondence,  and  to 
communicate  his  commands  in  writing  to  the  high 
Officers  of  State,  when  those  functionaries  did  not 
receive  them  from  the  Sovereign  in  person.  They 
were  not,  however,  in  any  sense  of  the  term,  Secre- 


1  **  Panni  les  Comtes  qui  souscriyirent  le  viii^.  Concile  de  Toldde;  on 
*^  troaye  un  Comte  de  Notaires :  c*6toit  sans  doute  leur  chef.  II  6toit 
**  en  Espagne  ce  que  pouvoit  ^tre  alors  en  France  le  Grand  Referendaire, 
**  et  depuis  le  Grand  Chancelier,  k  qui  Hinemar  donne  le  nom  de  Secri- 
**  taire.  La  dignity  de  Tribun  &  Notaire  des  Empereurs  Romains  €toit 
^  ^quiyalente  k  celle  de  Secretaire  dJEtoL  M.  Eckhart  soutient,  d'apres 
^  Saumaise,  que  le  terme  Secretarius^  pour  signifier  le  Notaire  ou  le 
**  Cbancelier  d*un  Prince,  6toit  inconnu  du  temps  de  Louis  le  D6bonnaire. 
**  Mais  M.  Schannant  lui  oppose  la  6S«  lettre  d'Alcuin,  oik  Angilbert  Abb6 
**  de  S.Riquier  est  appelI6  BeguB  volurUaiis  Secretaritu;  comme  qui  diroit, 
**  Secretaire  des  commandemens  du  Roi.    Le  titre  de  Secretaire  dEtat 

n'a  ^  donn6  que  sous  Henri  IL  aux  officiers  qui  portent  aujourd'hui 

ce  titre.  On  les  appelloit  auparavant  Clercs  du  Secret  et  Secretaires 
<<  da  Roi,  &c."  '<  Le  Roi  Philippe  le  Bel  d^clara,  en  1S09,  qu'il  y  au- 
*'  loit  pr^  de  sa  personne  trois  Clercs  du  Secret  &  vingt  sept  Clercs  ou 
^  Notaires  sous  eux.    Depuis  Charle  IX.  les  Secretaires  d'Etat  ont  ordi- 

nairement  signg  pour  le  RoL"    (  V.  N.  7%  61,  62.) 

VOL.  VI.  g 


XCvUi  PREFACE. 

King's     taries  of  Stoie ;  nor  was  that  title  ever  attributed  to 

Secretary  

'  them  in  England  until  the  end  of  the  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth ;  and,  except  when  they  were 
Members  of  the  Privy  Council,  they  were  never,  in 
any  degree,  responsible  for  the  measures  of  the 
Government. 

The  title  of  "  Principal''  or  «  adef  or  "  First 
"  Secretary''  arose,  not,  as  has  been  supposed,, 
from  the  appointment,  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  of 
a  Second  Principal  or  Chief  Secretary,  with  co- 
ordinate powers  and  similar  duties,  but  from  the 
existence,  at  a  very  early  time,  of  another  Secre- 
tary of  nearly  the  same  rank,  and  with  very 
similar  duties,  for  the  French,  and  in  and  after  the 
time  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  for  the  Latin  language. 

As  the  facts  which  have  been  discovered 
respecting  the  King's  Secretaries,  from  the  reign 
of  Henry  the  Third  to  that  of  James  the  First, 
afford  much  information  on  the  subject,  and  ap- 
pear to  have  been  hitherto  unknown,  they  will  be 
stated. 
Henry  III.  There  is    reason  to   believe  that    until    the 

middle,  or  towards  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Henry 
the  Third,  the  "  King's  Secretary"  was  called  the 
"  King's  Clerk,"  as  that  oflSce  is  frequently  men- 
tioned in  the  Close  .Rolls  of  King  John  and  Henry 
the  Third.  The  first  notice  which  has  been  found 
of  the  "  King's  Secretary"  is  in  May,  37  Hen.  HL 
1253,  when  John  Maunsell,  Chancellor  of  London, 
and  Provost  of  Beverley,  was  described  by  the  title 
of  "  Secretarius  noster"  in  his  appointment  as  one 


PREFACE.  xcix 

of  the  envoys  to  negociate  an  alliance  with  Spain. ^  King's 
MaunseU  also  held  that  situation  in  July  1254,  ^^"^'^^^'^y- 
when  Prince  Edward  mentioned  him  as  his  father's 
Secretary*;  and  in  the  month  of  August  following, 
when  the  King  empowered  him,  by  the  title  of 
*  his  Secretary,"  to  give  his  assent  to  the  marriage 
of  Prince  Edward  with  Eleanor  of  Castile^;  but  the 
office  is  not  again  attributed  to  him,  although  his 
name  often  occurs  in  the  Public  Records. 

In  July  1253,  Henry  the  Third  made  his  Will, 
by  whidi  he  appointed  Henry  de  Wengham  one  of 
his  executors,  by  the  description  of  "my  Clerk.''* 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  term  "  Clerk"  was 
not  used  in  that  document  in  an  ecclesiastical 
sense,  as  the  King  had  already  mentioned  his 
Chaplain,  and  Wengham's  name  follows  that  of  the 
Steward  of  his  Household.  It  is  remarkable  that 
Maunsell,.who,  in  the  month  of  May  in  that  year 
and  in  August  1254,  was  the  King's  Secretary,  and 
who  was  also  one  of  Henry's  executors,  is  described 
only  as  "  Provost  of  Beverley." 

Under   these    circumstances,    it    is    doubtful 
whether  the   appellation  of  the  "King's  Clerk 
was,  or  was  not,  at  that  period,  sometimes  syno- 


M6 


1  Foden,  new  ed.  voLL  p. 290.  ^  Ji^tL  p.S04. 

3  Jb9d.p.S06.  4  2lnd.  p. 496. 

^  In  1247  Sylvester,  the  <'  King's  Clerk,"  and  in  1425  John  de  Kil- 
keanj,  the  '<  Sang's  Clerk,"  executed  the  office  of  Chancellor.  It  is  not 
VB^Sufy  that  the  '*  King's  Clerk"  sometimes  meant  the  Clerk  of  the 
CfowD,  and  at  others  one  of  the  Clerks  in  Chancery ;  and  it  may  abo, 
in  later  Hmes,  have  meant  one  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Signet 

g2 


C  PREFACE. 

King's  nimous  with  the  "King's  Secretary,"  or  whether 
'  they  were  not  a  distinct  office.  The  political 
importance  of  the  situation  of  "  Bang's  Secretary," 
or  "King's  Clerk,"  when  held  by  Maunsell  and 
Wengham,  cannot  now  be  determined ;  but  it  is 
certain  that  they  were  both  persons  of  considerable 
eminence,  as  in  1247  and  1249  Maunsell,  and  in 
1255  Wengham,  had  the  custody  of  the  Great  Seal ; 
that  in  June  1258,  if  not  before,  both  of  them  were 
members  of  the  King's  Council  ^;  and  that  in  1260 
Wengham  was  elected  Bishop  of  London* 

Edward  I.  All  that  has  been  discovered  respecting  the 

King's  Secretary  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  First 
is,  that  in  July,  6  Edw.  I.  1278,  the  King,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Pope,  said  that  he  had  sent  Francis 
Accursii  of  Bononia,  Professor  of  the  Civil  Law, 
"  Consiliarius,  Familiaris,  et  Secretarius  noster," 
and  others  to  his  Holiness^;  and  that  in  November, 
28  Edw.  I.  1299,  John  de  Benstede,  Clerk,  was  de- 
scribed as  "  ipsius  Domini  Regis  Secretarius."^  As 
both  Accursii  and  Benstede  seem,  from  the  other 
situations  which  they  filled*,  to  have  been  men  of 


1  Rot  Pat,  42  Hen.  III.  m.  6.  ^  Foedera,  new  ed.  voL  i.  p.  559. 

3  Ibid.  p.  916. 

4  Accursii  was  on  more  than  one  occasion  sent  as  envoy  to  the  Pope,  a 
most  difficult  and  important  mission,  for  which  persons  of  the  highest 
talents,  and  in  whom  the  King  had  the  greatest  confidence,  were  selected. 
(Foedera,  new  ed.,  vol.  i.  p.  5^2,)  Other  notices  of  Accursii  will  be  found 
in  the  same  volume,  pp.  516,  524,  598,  741.  Benstede  was  Keeper 
of  the  Great  Seal  in  1297,  a  member  of  the  Council  in  1304,  and  in 
1305  was  made  Chancellor.  (Fosdera,  new  ed.,  vol.  i.  p.  876;  vd.  ii» 
pp.  966,  974.)  •  He  is  not  described  as  King's  Secretary  after  1299. 


PREFACE.  ci 

considerable  talents,  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  King's 
office  of  King's  Secretary  required  ability  and  dis-  retaryv 
cretion ;  and  that  it  generally  led  to  some  of  the 
highest  Offices  in  the  State.  The  situation  of 
« King's  Clerk''  was  filled,  in  the  18th  Edw.  L 
1290,  by  William  de  Grenfeld,  a  Canon  of  York, 
who  was  also  one  of  the  King's  Councillors^;  but 
Grenfeld  may  either  have  been  the  Clerk  of  the 
Crown,  or  the  King's  Secretary.^ 

Nothing  has  been  found  respecting  the  office  Edward  il 
of  King's  Secretary  during  the  reign  of  Edward 
the  Second,  except  that  "  Dominus  Willielmus 
"  de  Melton  "  is  described  as  the  King's  Secretary 
in  March  1308^;  and  he  was  probably  the  person 
of  that  name  who  was  afterwards  Lord  Chancellor 
and  Archbishop  of  York;  but  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  the  Third  there  is  some  curious  informa- 
tioD  on  the  subject. 

In  November,  in  the  21st  Edw.  III.  1347,  Edward  iir 
Eegulations  were  made  for  the  government  of  the 
King's  Household,  from  which  it  appears  that  the 
King's  Secretary  received  forty-six  shillings  and 
eight-pence  a  year  for  his  salary ;  but  his  condition 
is  most  clearly  shewn  by  comparing  it  with  that  of 
the  King's  other  officers.  He  was  evidently  much 
inferior  in  station,  not  only  to  the  Treasurer,  Comp- 
troller, Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  Cofferer,  Almoner, 
Dean   of  the  Chapel,  and  other  of  the  superior 


I  Fcrdera,  new  ed.,  voL  i.  p.  741 .  ^  Vide  p.  xciz.  n.  5* 

3  Rot.  ClauB.,  I  Edw.  IL  m.  7.  d. 

g  5 


cii  PREFACE. 

King's  Officers  of  the  Household,  but  even  to  the  King's 
Physicians,  all  of  whom  received  double  the 
amount  of  his  wages.  The  King's  Secretary  was, 
moreover,  classed  both  in  rank  and  pay,  with 
the  Receivers  of  the  Chamber,  the  Clerks  of  the 
Kitchen,  the  Clerk  Marshal,  the  Clerks  of  the 
Wardrobe,  Market,  and  Privy  Seal,  the  Chaplains, 
and  the  Surgeon/  Of  Edward  the  Third's  Secre- 
taries not  even  the  names  have  been  ascertained ; 
but  the  celebrated  Froissart  states,  in  the  Preface  to 
his  Chronicles,  that  he  had  been  in  his  youth 
Secretary  to  Queen  Philippa. 

Richard  II.  Nothing  more  has  been   discovered  of  the 

Secretaries  to  Richard  the  Second,  than  that 
Robert  Braybroke  is  described  as  "nostre  Secre- 
taire" in  a  Letter  Missive®  to  the  Chancellor,  dated 
in  September  1379.  Braybroke  was  evidently  the 
person  who  was  elected  Bishop  of  London  in  1381, 
and  who  was  appointed  Lord  Chancellor  in  Sep- 
tember in  the  same  year.  It  also  appears  that 
Isabel,  the  Queen  of  Richard  the  Second,  had  a 
Secretary,  who,  like  her  Confessor,  formed  part  of 
her  Household,  and  was  probably  also  a  Priest.^ 

Henry  IV.  About  the  year  1402,  Henry  the  Fourth  ap- 

pointed John  Prophet,  a  priest,  who  had  been 
Clerk  of  the  Council  in  the  reign  of  his  prede- 
cessor*,  and   was    at    that    time   a   Privy   Coun- 

1  Ordinances  and  Regulations  for  the  Government  of  the  Royal  House- 
hold, 4to,  1790,  p.  10. 

2  Ex  orig.  in  Turr.  London. 

8  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  2  Hen.  IV.,  vol.  i.  p.  137. 
^  Ibid.  pp.  12  b,  14  b,  et  passim. 


PREFACE.  ciii 

cillor,  his    Secretary.     It  is   deservinc   of  obser-     King's 

Sjecrbtary 

vifticffi,  that  Prophet  seems  to  have  resigned  his 
seat  in  the   Council  on  being   made  the  King's 
Secretary^;  but  whether  he   did  so  from  the  in- 
compatibility of  the  two  situations,  or  from  any 
other  cause,  cannot  now  be  determined.     He  con- 
tinued to  hold  that  H)ffice  until  the  13th  Hen.  IV.. 
1412,  when  he  was  appointed  Keeper  of  the  Privy 
Seal"" ;  and  the  name  of  his  successor  is  not  known. 
Though  it  is  almost  certain  that  Prophet  was  not 
a  member  of  the  Privy  Council  after  he  became 
Secretary,  he  was  nevertheless  a  person  of  much  con- 
sideration ;  for  in  October,  in  the  4th  of  Henry  IV. 
1402,  when  the  Commons  requested  the  King  to 
allow  them  to  communicate  with  some  Lords  of 
Parliament  on  the  afiairs  of  the  Realm,  he  sent 
Lord  Say,  the   Steward  of  his   Hpusehold,  and 
Prophet  his  Secretary,  to  them,  to  state  that  he 
had  complied  with   their  request,  not,  however, 
as  a  matter  of  right  or  custom,  but  of  his  special 
grace  on  that  occasion ;  whence  it  appears  that  a 
conference    between    the    Lords    and    Commons 
could  not  be  claimed  as  a  matter  of  right,  nor 
take  place  without   the   special    consent  of   the 
Crown.^ 

In  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Henry  v. 
Fifth,  a  Priest  of  the  name  of  John  Stone  was 

1  See  a  letter  from  Prophet  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Priry  Council, 
4di  H(3kIV.  140S,  voLii.  p.  78. 

2  Rot  Pat,  13  Hen.  IV.  m.  10. 

d  Rot  ParL,  4  Hen.  IV.,  voL  uL  p.  486. 

g  * 


civ  PREFACE. 

King's      the  King's  Secretary  ^;    but  before  May  1421  he 

Secretary.  111        TTr*ii"  a  1  *  1  1 

was  succeeded  by  William  Alnewick,  also  an 
ecclesiastic,  and  who  is  recorded  to  have  been 
then  present  in,  even  if  he  was  not  a  member  of 
the  Privy  Council.^  After  the  accession  of  Henry 
the  Sixth,  Alnewick  delivered  up  certain  docu- 
ments to  Parliament^;  and  was  soon  afterwards 
made  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal*,  and  in  1426  was 
elected  Bishop  of  Norwich. 
Henry  VI.  The  first  uotice  of  the  King's  Secretary  in  the 

reign  of  Henry  the  Sixth  is  in  March  1432,  when, 
at  the  instance  of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  a  change 
took  place  in  the  Officers  of  the  Royal  House- 
hold.  On  the  1st  of  that  month  the  King's  Cham- 
berlain and  Steward,  the  Dean  of  the  Chapel,  and 
the  King's  Almoner  were  superseded,  and  William 
Hayton,  the  King's  Secretary,  was  dismissed  from 
his  office.  No  person  was  appointed  to  succeed 
him ;  but  the  Signet,  which  had  been  in  his  charge, 
was  placed  in  a  bag,  sealed  with  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester's  signet,  and  delivered  into  the  cus- 
tody of  the  Treasurer  of  the  Exchequer/  Of 
Hayton,  who  was  a  priest,  nothing  more  is  known ; 
and  the  next  notice  of  the  King's  Secretary  is  in 
June  1439,  when  the  office  was  held  by  Thomas 

1  He  is  so  described  in  Henry  the  Fifths  Will,  dated  in  July,  S  Hen.  V,. . 
1415 ;  Foedera,  voL  ix.  p.  292. 

2  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  vol  ii.  p.  315. 
«  Rot  Pari,  1  Hen.  VI.  1422,  voL  iv.  p.  179. 

4  He  held  that  office  as  early  as  March,  2  Hen.  VI.  1424 ;  Foedera, 
vol.  xi.  p.  327. 
^  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  10  Hen.  VI.,  voLiv.  p.  110. 


PREFACE.  CV 

Beckington,  Doctor  of  LawsS  a  Member  of  the  KiNo'g 
Privy  Council  ^;  and  a  person  of  great  ability  and 
learning.  Beckington  seems  to  have  continued 
the  King's  Secretary  until  July  1443^  when  he  was 
made  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal ;  and  in  September 
in  the  same  year  he  became  Bishop  of  Bath  and 
Wells.^  It  has  not  been  ascertained  who  succeeded 
him ;  but  in  July  1460,  Thomas  Mannyng  was  the 
King's  Secretary.^  He  was  one  of  the  King's  Chap- 
lains, and  in  April  1454  obtained  the  Deanery  of 
St  George's  Chapel  at  Windsor.®  In  1455,  he 
received  and  read  the  Letters  addressed  by  the 
Duke  of  York  to  the  King  before  the  battle  of 
St.  Albans^,  and  was  one  of  the  Receivers  of  Peti- 
tions in  the  Parliament  at  Coventry  in  November 
1459.®  ^lannyng,  with  the  other  Lancastrians, 
was  attainted  of  high  treason  immediately  after  the 
accession  of  Edward  the  Fourths® 

The  first  time  a  second  Secretary  to  the  King 
is  mentioned,  is  in  the  12th  Hen.  VI.  1433,  when 
the  name    of  John   Rjrvel   occurs   as  the  King's 

1  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  voL  v.  pp.  334,  335. 

'  He  was  a  member  of  the  Council  as  early  as  December  1432. 
Vide  Foedoa,  toL  x.  pp.  527?  530. 

3  Beckington  was  certainly  the  King's  Secretary  in  February  1443. 
See  the  Journal  of  his  Embassy  to  negociate  the  King's  marriage  with 
a  daughter  of  the  Count  of  Armagnac  in  1442  and  1443.  London,  Svo. 
1828. 

^  Foedera,  yoL  xL  p.  58.  ^  p.  361,  pasteeu 

*  p.  169,  potiea.  7  Rot  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  282. 
^/&tt£p.345. 

*  RiiL  1  Edw.  IV.,  voL  v.  p.  477.  Mannyng  was  therein  described  as 
*  kte  o(  New  Windsor  in  Berkshire,  Clerk." 


^jYi  PREFACE* 

Kino's      Secretary  S  and  who  is  styled,  in  February  1435, 
Sbcretary.  «  ^g  King's  Secretary  in  his  Realm  of  France.''^ 

In  October  1442  both  John  Ryvel  and  Gervais  de 
Vulre  were  described  as  the  "King's  Secretaries V* 
and  the  latter,  by  the  appellation  of  "  Maister 
"  Gervays  le  Volore,  one  of  your  Secretaries," 
was  accused  by  the  Commons,  in  1451,  of  having 
misbehaved  about  the  Royal  person,  and  in  other 
places,  to  the  injury  of  his  service  ;  upon  which  the 
Commons  wished  to  remove  him,  with  several 
others,  from  the  King's  presence,  for  the  rest  of 
their  lives/  These  persons  were  evidently  the 
King's  Secretaries  for  the  affiurs  of  France. 

Notwithstanding  the  King's  English  Secretary 
was  then  often  a  Privy  Councillor,  his  office  had 
not  increased  in  rank  or  importance.  In  the  Ordi- 
nances for  the  government  of  the  Royal  House- 
hold, made  in  November  33  Hen.  VI.  1454*,  as  in 
those  of  Edward  the  Third®,  the  Secretary  was 


1  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  voL  iv.  p.  187- 

3  Ibid,  p.  291.  He  was  sometimes  merely  described  as  ^<  Our  Clerk 
<«  and  Secretary."  Vide  Rot  Pari.,  23  Hen.  VI.  1444,  voL  v.  p.  88  b., 
and  the  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  voL  v.  pp.  210,  213.  On  the  dOth 
of  Jime  1434,  James  Lunayn  was  called  <<  the  King's  Secretary  of  his 
**  Kingdom  of  France."    Ibid  voL  v.  p.  259. 

«  Ibid  voL  V.  pp.  210,  213,  217,  221,  297. 

4  Rot  Pari.,  29  Hen.  VI.  vol.  v.  p.  216. 

5  pp.  222-224,  poOea.  These  Regulations  were  printed  by  the  Society 
of  Antiquaries  in  the  Collection  of  Ordinances  relating  to  the  House- 
hold, in  1790,  but  not  correctly ;  for  example, — 

"  Ch'lrs— Ch'rs  iiij.  ev'ich  of  theym  ij.  yomen  *' 
dre  there  called  <<  Chamberers^'*  instead  of  Chevaliers. 
^  Vide  p.  cii}  antea. 


jrR£FAC£«  CVil 

placed  after  the  Physician  and  Kni^ts  of  the  Kino's 
Body,  or,  as  they  were  sometimes  called.  Knights 
of  the  Household ;  and  he  and  his  two  Clerks 
were  allowed  only  two  yeomen,  whilst  the  King's 
Canrers  were  allowed  an  Esquire  and  two  yeomen 
each,  the  principal  Physician  two  yeomen,  and 
each  of  the  Knights  of  the  Body  and  the  second 
Physician  one  yeoman.  It  is  therefore  evident 
that  in  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century  the 
King's  Secretary  was  an  Officer  only  one  degree 
higher  in  consideration  than  the  King's  Chaplain 
and  the  Kmg's  Esquires,  and  that  he  was  of 
inferior  rank  to  the  Knights  of  the  King's  House- 
hold, and  his  Physicians. 

The  notices  of  the  King's  Secretaries  in  the  Edward  IV. 
time  of  Edward  the  Fourth  are  more  frequent 
than  in  any  preceding  period;    and  they  afford 
information  from  which  more  certain  conclusions 
can  be  drawn.     In  September,  4  Edw.  IV,  1464, 
William  Hatclyffe  was  one  of  the  King's  Secre- 
taries^,   and  he  was  a  Member  of  the   Council 
as   early  as    1467^  at   which    time,    as   well    as 
upon    every   other    occasion  he    is  called    "  Our 
"   Secretary  and  Councillor."  ®     Hatclyffe  still  held 
tliat  office  in  the  20th  Edw.  IV.  1480,  when  a  coad- 
jutor was  given  him*,  on  account  of  his  age  or  infir- 
mities, and  he  died  in  the  same  year.*    The  identity 
of  his  name  with  that  of  William  Hatclyffe  who  was 

1  Foedeia,  vol  xL  p.  532.  ^  IM.  p.  590. 

^  Jbid^poMsimy  and  voLxii.  pp.SOy  33. 

«  Rot.  Pat,  20  Edw.IV.  mJ8.  ^  Ibid.  m.  5. 


bviii  PREFACE. 

k!ing's  a  Physician  to  Henry  the  Sixth  in  1454\  and  who 
'  was  certainly  living  in  1468^,  suggests  the  possi- 
bility of  his  being  the  same  person.  In  the 
8th  Edw.  IV.  1468,  John  Prophet  (probably  a  rela- 
tion  of  the  person  of  that  name  who  was  Secretary 
to  Henry  the  Fourth^,)  obtained  a  grant  of  the 
office  of  Secretary  "  in  lingua  Gallica"  for  life, 
to  hold  it  as  Master  Gervaise*  had  done,  with  a 
salary  of  £20  per  annum.*  Prophet  either  died  or 
was  removed  before  1476,  as  on  the  18th  of  Marck 
in  that  year,  Oliver  King,  "  Master  of  the  seven 
•'  liberal  Arts,  and  Licentiate  in  Laws,"  was  ap- 
pointed the  King's  First  and  Principal  Secretary  in 
the  French  language  for  life,  with  the  same  fees  as 
Master  Gervaise,  late  Secretary  in  England  for  the 
said  language,  had  received.® 

The  term  "  Principal  Secretary"  did  not, 
therefore,  always  mean  Principal  of  all  the  King's 
Secretaries,  but  merely  of  a  different  department  ; 
and  it  appears  that  the  duties  of  both  the  King's 
Principal  Secretaries  were  nearly  the  same,  with- 
out reference  to  one  of  them  being  designated  the 
Secretary  for  the  French  language.  The  office  of 
French  Secretary  arose  from  the  affairs  of  France 
having,  in  the  reigns  of  Henry  the  Fifth  and  Sixth, 
required  the  appointment  of  a  person  purposely 

1  pp.  167,  228,  postea.  ^  Fcedera,  vol.  xL  p.  635. 

s  p.  cii,  antea,  ^  p.  cvi,  (tntea. 

5  Rot  Glaus.,  8  Edw.  IV.  m.  19. 

^  Fcedera,  voL  xii.   p.  26  ;     Rot  Pat,  16  Edw.  IV.    p.  1.   m.  25. 
17  Edw.  IV.  p.  U 


PREFACE.  cix 

to  attend  to  them,  and  who  was  generally  called  the     Kmo's 
"  King's  Secretary  in  his  Realm  of  France'* ;  but, 
like  many  others,  it  was  retained  long  after  the  neces- 
sity for  its  creation  had  ceased,  under  the  title  of 
"  the  King's  Secretary  for  the  French  language". 
In  fact,  however,  the  Secretary  for  the  French  lan- 
guage was  then  little   else  than    the  King's   se- 
cond Secretary,  for  it  was  specially  provided  in 
Dr.  King's  patent,  that  he  should  receive  all  kinds  of 
Bills  and  Warrants  issued  by  the  King's  hand,  and 
prepare  all  Warrants  whatsoever  addressed  to  the 
Chancellor  or  to  the  Privy  Seal,  together  with  all 
Letters,  as  well  in  Latin  as  in  English,  and  should 
receive  for  them   the  accustomed   fees.^     In    the 
20th  Edw.  IV.    1480,   Dr.  King    was    appointed 
coadjutor  to  Hatclyffe  in  the  office  of  Secretary  ; 
and  it  was  ordered  that  he  should  have  the  custody 
of  the  Signet  in  Hatclyffe's  absence,  and  succeed 
him  after  his  decease.^     As  the  King's  Secretary 
was  appointed  by  his  Majesty's  merely  placing  his 
Signet  in  his  custody,  and  as  it  was  then  in  the 
charge   of  Hatcl3rffe,  it  was  necessary  to  appoint 
his  coadjutor  by  Letters  Patent ;  by  which  instru- 
ment,  however,    the  Secretaries  for  the   French 
and  Latin  languages  have  always  been  appointed.  . 
Hatclyffe    having    died    in    1480,    he    was    suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.  King  ;  and  Master  Stephen  Fryon 
became  Secretary  for  the  French  language,  with  a 


1  Fcedera,  vol.  xii.  p.  96.  2  Rot  Pat,  20  Edw.  IV.  p.  2.  m.  23. 


ex  PREFACE. 

King's      salary  of  JBIO,  in  the  room  of  Dr.  King,  in  the  same 
year/ 

The  rank  and  emoluments  of  King*s  Secre- 
tary in  the  time  of  Edward  the  Fourth  remained 
the  same  as  in  the  two  preceding  reigns.  In  the 
♦*  Liber  Niger  Domiis  Regis  Angliae,"  containing 
Regulations  for  the  Eing^s  Household,  the  office 
of  Secretary  is  mentioned  immediately  after  the 
Knights  of  the  Household,  and  before  the  four 
Chaplains.  He  was  allowed  a  gentleman  to  attend 
upon  him,  and  had  four  Clerks,  with  "sufficient 
"  writers  of  the  King's  Signet  under  him ;"  all  of 
whom  were  supported  at  His  Majesty's  expence.* 

The  King's  Secretary  was  also  classed  with 
the  Knights  of  the  Household  in  the  Sumptuary 
Law,  restraining  excess  in  apparel,  in  the  !22nd 
Edw.  IV.  1482.  It  was  then  ordained  that  no 
person  under  the  degree  of  a  Lord  should  wear 
plain  cloth  of  gold,  or  under  that  of  a  Knight  any 
velvet  in  their  gowns,  or  that  those  below  the 
rank  of  a  Lord  should  wear  any  gown  or  cloak 
unless  it  were  of  sufficient  length,  "  he  being  up- 


1  Rot  Glaus.,  20  Edw.  IV.  m.  11 ;  Rot  Pat,  21  Edw.  IV.  p.  2.  m.  1. 
3  The  passage  relating  to  the  King's  Secretary  is  as  follows : — 
^'  A  Secretary  sitting  in  the  King's  chambre  or  hall  with  a  person 
**  of  like  servyse ;  and  he  shall  have  eting  in  the  hall,  one  gentilman. 
^  Item,  for  his  chambre  for  all  day,  iij.  loves,  ij.  messes  of  grete  mete^ 
^  dim'  a  picher  wyne,  ij.  gallons  ale,  one  torche,  one  percher,  ij.  candelL» 
"  wax,  iij.  candells  peris'  in  wynter  season,  and  iij.  taliwood,  ruyshes  and 
**  litter,  all  the  yere  of  the  serjeaunt  ussher  of  the  hall  and  chambyr, 
**  parchemynte  and  paper,  sufficiaunt  of  the  office  of  the  grete  spycery, 
^*  by  oversyght  of  comptroller  or  his  clerks,  and  that  to  be  allowed  in 


PRdFACEm  Cxi 

^  ri^t,  to  cover  his  privy  members  and  buttocks  ;"  Kinq'» 
but  it  was  specially  provided,  that  the  Act  should 
not  be  prgudicial  to  the  liberty  of  wearing  cloth 
and  for  (purple  and  cloth  of  gold  only  excepted^ 
the  former  of  which  was  reserved  to  the  Royal 
family,  and  the  latter  to  Peers,)  by  eight  Ediights 
who  were  named,  and  who  were  the  Knights  of 
the  Household,  "  nor  of  M.  Oliver  King,  the  King's 
"  Secretary,  nor  to  the  Dean  of  the  Chapel  or 
"  the  Treasurer  of  the  Household.**^ 

Edward  the  Fourth  was  attended  in  his  expe- 
dition to  France,  in  1475,  by  Hatclyife  his  Secre* 
tary,  who  received  two  shillings  per  diem  ;  and  a 
gentleman^  his  servant,  was  allowed  j£36  8«.  for  one 


<<  the  eoQntyog-hoiuey  and  also  red  wax ;  and  whan  he  hathe  nede  of 

<<  muche  wntmg,  than  he  to  have  comaundment  from  the  seyd  countyng* 

^  house  for  perchers  of  tallowe  or  smaller  candells  peris'.    To  this  office 

*<  are  belonging  liij.  clerks,  sufficiannt  Writers  of  the  King's  Signet  under 

*  the  seide  Secretary,  eting  dayly  in  the  King's  hall;  and  for  theyre 

''  lyreiey  at  nyght  a  gallon  ale,  and  in  wynter  season,  one  candell 

^  peris' ;  and  whan  theyre  business  requireth,  then,  by  the  Secretary's 

**  ]^xo^  recorde,  these  clerks  to  have  dynners  and  soupers  to  theyre 

"  scriploiy,  taking  so  for  ooe  mele  one  payne,  one  messe  gros  de  cusyn* 

"  dim'  a  gallon  servoise.    The  Secretary  and  his  clerks  pay  for  theire 

**  carriage  of  hameys  in  courte,  except  a  littell  coffer  in  which  the  King's 

**  wanaimts  and  billes  assigned,  and  other  lettres  and  remembraunces 

"  be  kept  9fan  a  filace.    This  cofiyr  is  carried  at  the  King's  cost» 

wiiereas  the  Countroller  wull  aasigne.    The  Secretary  he  hath  into 

**  this  oourte  iij.  persones  wayters  on  hym  for  all  that  office.     The 

**  remanent  of  all  other  servaunts  to  be  founden  at  his  lyvery  in  the 

^  eomitrey  ddiverede  by  the  herberger,  sufficiauntly  for  hym  and  all 

*^  the  clerks ;  and  whan  hymself  is  oute  of  courte,  he  hath  a  yoman  to 

"  kepe  his  chaumber,  etyng  at  the  Chaumberlayn's  bourde  in  the  hall : 

'^  both  he  and  his  clerks  take  clothing  of  the  King's  warderober." 

1  Roc  ParL  vol  yL  pp.  220, 221. 


cc 


cxii  PREFACE. 

King's      man-at-arms  and  thirteen  archers  for  one  quarter's 
Secretart.  ^gggg      'pjjg  Secretary's  salary  was  the  same  as  that 

of  the  King's  Physician,   and  the  Clerk   of  the 
Council.^ 
Richard  III.  Richard  the  Third  on  his  accession  to  the 

throne  displaced  Dr.  King,    and   appointed  John 
Kendal,  who  seems  to  have  been  Chief  Clerk  of  the 
King's  Bench^  his  Secretary.     Kendal  was  present, 
and  is  described  as  the  King's  Secretary  on  the  1st  of 
August  1485,  when  the  Great  Seal  was  delivered 
to  the  Master  of  the  RoUs.^     He  had  the  same 
allowance  of  scarlet  cloth  for  Richard's  coronation 
as   the   Treasurer   of  the  Household,  which  was 
less  than  was  given  to  the  Judges  and  Seijeants-at- 
Law,  but  considerably  more  than  the  Clerk  of  the 
Council  received.*      Kendal,  with   the  other   ad- 
herents of  Richard,  was   afterwards   attainted  of 
high  treason.* 
Henry  Vll.  ^i^g  Henry  the  Seventh  appointed  Dr.Richard 

Fox  his  Secretary®,  and  re-appointed  Stephen 
Fryon  his  Secretary  of  the  French  language,  as 
soon   as   he  ascended  the  throne.^     Fox  became 


1  Foedera,  voLxi.  p.  848. 

2  Rot.  Pat,  temp.  Edw.  V.  He  obtained  the  offices  of  Comptroller  of 
the  Exchange,  and  Assayer  of  the  Mint,  and  was  re-appointed  Chief  Clerk 
and  Keeper  of  the  Rolls  of  the  King's  Bench  in  1  Ric.  III.,  Rot  Pat  eod. 
ann. 

«  Foedera,  voL  xii.  p.  272. 
4  Antiquarian  Repertory,  ed.  1807,  voLi.  p.  53. 
*  Rot  ParL,  voL  vi.  p.  276. 
«  IbicL,  1  Hen.  VII.,  1485,  vol.  vL  pp.  361,  377. 

7  Ibid.  p.  375 ;  and  Rot  Pat,  1  Hen.  VII.,  p.  L  m.  12.    Richard  the 
Third  also  retained  Fryon  in  that  office^  Rot  Pat  1  Ric.  III.,  m.  3. 


PREFACE.  cxiii 

Bishop  of  Exeter  in  April  1487;  and  seems  to  Kino's 
have  been  succeeded  by  Dr.  Oliver  King,  who  had  S^^R^tart. 
been  Secretary  to  Edward  the  Fourth,  for  in  August 
1489  one  of  the  persons  present  at  Windsor  at 
the  confirmation  of  the  treaty  of  peace  with  Por- 
tugal, was  "  Master  Oliver  King,  our  Secretary." 
It  is  worthy  of  attention,  as  indicating  that  the 
King's  Secretary  was  of  higher  importance  than  he 
bad  hitherto  been  considered,  that  he  was  classed 
with  the  Barons  in  the  list  of  witnesses  on  that 
occasion.*  Dr.  King  was  probably  at  that  time 
a  Privy  Councillor,  for  in  May  1492  he  was 
styled  "  our  Councillor  and  Secretary."  ^  He  was 
made  Bishop  of  Exeter  in  October  following ;  and 
his  successor  appears  to  have  been  Dr.  Thomas 
Eouthale,  who  certainly  was  the  King's  Secretary 
in  May  1500  ^  August  1504  S  and  in  March  1509, 
when  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  executors  of 
the  King's  Will ;  at  which  time,  and  probably  many 
years  before,  he  was  also  a  Privy  Councillor. 


'  FoBcLera,  toL  xii.  p.  379.  ''Praesentibus  tunc  ibidem  Reverendissimo  in 
'^  Chnsto  patre  Johanne  Archiepiscopo  Cantuariensi,  totius  Angliae  Pri- 
**  mate,  et  Apostolicse  Sedis  Legato,  Cancellario  nostro  Angliae,  ac  venera^ 
**  bOi  in  Chnsto  patre  Ricardo  Episcopo  Exoniensi,  Custode  Privati 
**  Sigilli  nostii ;  ac  clarissimis  Dominis  Henrico  Nortbumbriae,  Georgio 
^  Salopiae,  et  Henrico  Essexise,  Comitibus ;  Georgio  Stanley  de  Straunge, 
^  Milite ;  Ricardo  Nevyll  de  Latymer,  et  Johanne  le  Souche  de  Soiiche, 
^  Magistro  Olivero  Kyng,  Secretario  nostro,  Baronibus ;  Tboma  Lovell 
*<  et  Ricardo  Guldeford,  Militibtts ;  testibus  ad  prsemissa  vocatis  spe^ 
**  daliter  et  rogatis." 

2  Foedera,  voL  xii.  p.  477.  «  Ibid.  p.  753. 

4  IbiiL  voL  xiiu  p.  107. 

VOL.  VI.  h 


cxiv  PREFACE. 

Kino's  In  July  1509,  a  few  months  after  the  accession 

pkcretaby  _^ 

V  ^^  ^^^^g  Henry  the  Eighth,  Dr.  Eouthale  was  elected 
Bishop  of  Durham  ;  but  he  continued  the  King's 
Secretary  until  May  1515,  when  he  was  made 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal.^  The  Bishop  of  Dur- 
ham was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Richard  Pace,  Dean  of 
St.  Paul's  %  who  in  April  1520,  and  again  in  1523, 
was  described  as  "  Principal  Secretary."^  Pace 
became  deranged  in  mind,  and  is  said  to  have 
been  succeeded  by  Dr.  William  Knight,  who  was 
appointed  in  August  1526,  for  on  the  21st  of  that 
month  he  wrote  to  Wolsey  :  "  The  said  day  being 
"  Monday  the  King  did  ride  on  hunting.  The 
"  next  day  I  did  speak  with  his  Highness,  and 
"  He  did  make  unto  me  very  honorable  recule, 
*^  with  delivery  of  His  Signet,  and  many  good 
"  words,  for  which  all  I  most  humbly  thank  your 
"  Grace."*  Knight  was  still  Secretary  in  August 
1527  ^;  and  probably  for  a  short  time  afterwards. 
The  nature  of  the  office  of  King's  Secretary, 

1  Foedera,  voL  xiii.  p.  553. 

2  It  is  saidy  in  a  note  to  the  <<  State  Papers"  (voL  i.  p.  2.),  that  Pace 
was  appointed  in  1515;  but  he  is  only  described  as  '^  Master  Richard 
''  Pace,  Archdeacon  of  Dorset,"  in  his  appointment  to  treat  with  the  envoys 
from  the  Helvetick  States,  dated  on  the  21st  of  February,  7  Hen.  VIII. 
1516.  (Fcedera,  vol.  xiii.  p.  54*7.)  The  earliest  letter  signed  by  himamon^ 
the  <'  State  Papers"  is  dated  on  the  5th  of  July  1518.  On  the  7th  of  May, 
28  Hen.  VIII.,  1536,  Peter  Vannes,  Prebendary  of  Bedwyn,  the  Eling's 
Latin  Secretary,  was  appointed  coadjutor  of  Richard  Pace,  Dean  of  Sidis- 
bury,  who  was  then  labouring  under  mental  infirmity,  in  the  performance 
of  bis  ecclesiastical  duties.    Fcedera,  vol.  xiv.  p.  568. 

»  Fcedera,  vol.  xiii.  p.  714? ;  Rot  Pat  15  Hen.  VIII.  p.  1. 
4  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  172.  »  3id.  p.  261. 


PREFACE-  CXV 

as  it  existed  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  Henry      Kino's 

Secret  ART* 

the  Eighth,  is  shewn,  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner, 
by  the  Correspondence  of  Dr.  Pace  and  Dr.  Knight 
witfi  Cardinal  Wolsey  and  Lord  Cromwell,  whence 
it  appears  that  its  duties  did  not  then  involve 
aoj  Ministerial  responsibility.  It  is  also  manifest 
that  Henry  did  not  always  entrust  his  Secretary 
with  the  communication  of  affairs  of  a  very  secret 
nature,  and  that  he  read  every  letter,  and  dictated 
the  answers  thereto,  himself.  In  July  1518  the 
King  wrote,  with  his  own  hand,  to  inform  Wolsey 
that  he  had  received  his  letters  "  to  the  which 
"  (because  they  ask  long  writing)  I  have  made 
"  answer  by  my  Secretary  ;  two  things  there  be 
"  which  be  so  secret  that  they  cause  me  at  this 
"  time  to  write  to  you  myself."*  Dr.  Pace,  the  Prin- 
cipal Secretary,  said,  in  a  letter  to  Wolsey  in  1521, 
^  Whereas  your  Grace  commandeth  me  to  [read] 
^'  unto  the  King  all  such  letters  as  I  shall  write 
"  in  matters  of  weight  and  great  importance  by  his 
"  commandment,  to  your  Grace,  I  have  continually 
^  so  done,  and  shall  not  fail,  in  time  to  come,  to 
*^  do  the  same ;  and  his  Grace  is  well  contented  to 
"  bear  them,  as  he  commanded  me  to  write  unto 
your  Grace  in  my  last  letters  j  and  I,  by  my 
will,  would  write  no  letter  of  importance  that 
should  pass  by  my  hands,  not  viewed  by. his 
^  Grace,  for  mine  own  discharge,  and  especially 
"  in  such  causes  as  be  now  in  hand.    Wherefore  I 


1  State  Papers,  voL  i.  p.  L 

h  2 


^^yi  PREFACE* 

Kino's  ««  shall  be  greatly  bound  unto  your  Grace,  if  it 
'  "  shall  please  the  same,  to  move  the  King  by 
"  writing,  to  be  contented  that  all  letters  of  im- 
"  portance,  touching  these  great  affairs,  may  pass 
"  under  His  sign  and  seal,  for  the  surety  of  all 
«  those  that  shall  meddle  with  them.''^  Wolsey 
having  expressed  his  displeasure,  that  Secretary 
Pace  had  not  fully  communicated  the  contents  of 
his  letters  to  the  King,  but  had  only  done  so 
"  diminutely ;''  Pace  said  in  his  reply,  "  I  never 
"  rehearsed  your  Grace's  letters,  diminutely,  or 
"  fully,  but  by  the  King's  express  command- 
"  ment ;  who  readeth  all  your  letters  with  great 
"  diligence,  and  mine  answers  made  to  the  same, 
"  not  by  my  device,  but  by  his  instructions. 
"  And  as  for  one  of  my  letters,  which  was  unto 
"  your  Grace  very  displeasant,  as  it  appeared 
"  by  your  answer  to  the  same,  I  had,  at  that 
"  time,  devised  a  letter  in  the  same  matter, 
"  far  discrepant  from  that  ye  received;  but  the 
"  King  would  not  approve  the  same,  and  said 
"  that  he  would  himself  devise  an  answer  to  your 
"  Grace's  letters,  sent  to  him  at  that  time ;  and 
"  commanded  me  to  bring  your  said  letters  in  to 
"  his  Privy  Chamber  with  pen  and  ink,  and  there 
"  he  would  declare  unto  me  what  I  should  write. 
"  And  when  his  Grace  had  your  said  letters,  he 
"  read  the  same  three  times,  and  marked  such 
"  places  as  it  pleased  him  to  make  answer  unto, 

'  State  Papen,  vol.  i.  pp.  26,  27. 


<4 
U 


PREFACE.  CXvii 

"  and  commanded  me  to  write  and  to  rehearse,  as  Kino's 
«  liked  him,  and  not  further  to  meddle  with  that  S^cretart. 
answer.  So  that  I  herein  nothing  did,  but 
obeyed  the  King's  commandment,  as  to  my 
duty  appertaineth,  and  especially  at  such  time 
**  as  he  would,  upon  good  grounds,  be  obeyed, 
"  whosoever  spake  to  the  contrary.  As  touching 
**  untrue  information,  to  be  made  by  me  to  the 
^  King,  of  your  Grace's  letters,  I  am  sorry  ye  do 
"  lay  that  to  my  charge;  for  if  I  did  untruly  in- 
"  form  his  Highness  of  any  part  of  the  same 
**  letters  ,that  be  of  so  great  weight  and  importance5 
"  I  should  not  only  deal  unkindly  and  falsely 
"  with  your  Grace,  but  also  be  a  manifest  traitor 
^  to  the  King ;  which  crime  in  me,  by  the  grace 
^  of  God,  shall  never  be  found :  for  though  I 
**  lack  wit,  yet  for  faith  and  truth,  I  dare  compare 
"  with  any  servant  the  King  hath.  Furthermore, 
"  if  I  would  inform  the  King  otherwise  of  your 
**  Grace's  letters  than  the  truth  is,  I  conith  not 
"  so  do  without  great  shame,  and  to  mine  own 
"  evident  ruin ;  for  his  Grace  doth  read  them 
"  all  his  self,  and  examine  the  same  at  leisure^ 
"  with  great  deliberation,  and  hath  better  wit  to 
^*  understand  them,  than  I  to  inform  him."^ 

In  a  letter  which  Pace  soon  afterwards  wrote 
to  Wolsey,  he  seems  to  have  complained  that  an 
irregularity  had  been  committed  respecting  the 
business  of  his  office,  as  he  says,  "  Whereas  the 


'  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  80. 
h3 


gsCRBTART. 


cxviii  PREFACE. 

King's  "  Mayor  of  London  hath  lately  sent  to  your 
"  Grace  a  transumpt,  written  both  in  the  Spanish 
"  tongue  and  Latin,  I  advertise  your  Grace  that 
"  he  therein  hath  negligently  done,  for  he  should 
^*  have  sent  the  same  to  me,  and  I  to  your  Grace, 
"  declaring  the  King's  pleasure  touching  that 
"  matter^,''  which  he  proceeds  to  state. 

In  September  1526,  Dr.  Knight,  whom  Wolsey 
describes  as  *^  a  wise,  trusty,  faithful  subject,  and 
"  Councillor  ^"  wrote  to  the  Cardinal  :  "  In  all 
"  letters,  and  specially  those  that  beth  in  French, 
^*  sent  from  your  Grace  unto  His  Highness,  to  be 
"  signed,  there  is  a  little  billet  contained,  for  the 
"  King's  better  information  of  subscription  of  the 
^*  letters.  His  Highness  willed  me  to  desire  your 
*^  Grace,  that  I  might  have  a  memorial,  how  the 
^*  said  letters  should  be  subscribed,  without  any 
"  further  using  of  the  said  billets;  inasmuch  as 
"  it  hath  pleased  His  Highness,  and  your  Grace, 
"  that  I  should  give  continual  attendance  upon 
«  him."^ 

Ordinances  were  made  at  Eltham  for  the 
government  of  Henry  the  Eighth's  Household  in 
January  1526,  which,  together  with  subsequent 
Regulations  on  the  subject,  afford  much  curious 
information  about  the  King's  establishment,  and  the 
Officers  attached  to  his  person.  For  the  promotion 
of  Justice,  for  deciding  on  the  numerous  Petitions 
which  were  presented  to  his  Majesty,  and  for  the 


' 


1  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  82.  2  Ibid.  p.  270.  »  Ibid.  p.  176. 


PREFACE.  cxix 

better  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Kingdom,     King's 
Henry  appointed  ^^  a  good  number  of  honourable, 
virtuous,  sad,  wise,  expert,  and  discreet  persons 
of  his  Council."     Among  them  was  "  the  Secre- 
tary," who  is  placed  between  the  Comptroller  and 
the  Chancellor  of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster  ;  and  it 
was  ordered  that  ten  of  those  persons,  one  of  whom 
was  the   Secretary,  should   constantly  attend  the 
CounciL^     The  King's  Secretary  was  lodged  within 
the   Court,    and  was   allowed   stabling   for   eight 
horses,  and  three  beds  for  his  servants,  being  the 
same  as  was  allowed  to  the  Vice-Chamberlain,  and 
to  such  Knights  and  others,  as  were  Members  of  the 
Privy  Council.^     The  Queen  had  likewise  a  Secre- 
tary ;  but  he  was  allowed  only  five  horses  and  two 
beds,  being  two  horses    less  than   her  Majesty's 
Vice^Chamberlain.^ 

About  June  1529,  Dr.  Stephen  Gardiner 
is  supposed  to  have  been  made  Principal  Secre- 
tary*; but  he  was  still  Clerk  of  the  Council  in 
October  in  that  year.*  Dr.  Gardiner  was  elected 
Bishop  of  Winchester  in  December  1531,  when  he 
probably  resigned  the  Secretaryship ;  and  all  that 
is  known  of  his  successor  is,  that  Thomas  Crom- 
well, a  Privy  Councillor,  is  said  to  have  been 
appointed  Principal,  or,  as   he  was  often  termed. 


1  Eegalations  of  the  Royal  Household,  4to,  1790,  pp.  159,  160. 

2  Ibid.  p.  198.  3  Jbid.  p.  1 99. 

"*  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  337.  ^  Foedera,  vol.  xiv.  p.  349. 

h  4 


cxx  PREFACE. 

King's      Chiefs  OF  First  ^    Secretary,  between   the  7th   of 
Secretaby.  jy^^^^^^^  1533^  ^^^  ^^^  12th  of  April  1534  ^  and 

that  he  held  that  office  until  he  was  made  Keeper 
of  the  Privy  Seal  *  on  the  2nd,  and  a  Peer  on  the 
9th,  of  July  1536. 

Lord  Cromwell's  immediate  successor  was 
Thomas  Wriothesley,  afterwards  Earl  of  South- 
ampton ;  and  the  next  notice  of  the  King'i^ 
Chief  Secretary  occurs  in  the  Statute  regulating 
Precedency,  or,  as  it  is  entitled,  "  for  placing  the 
"  Lords,"  which  was  passed  in  the  Parliament 
that  met  at  Westminster  on  the  28th  of  April 
1539.  After  providing  for  the  Precedency  of 
the  Spiritual  Peers,  the  Act  states,  that  the  Lord 
Chancellor,  the  Lord  Treasurer,  the  Lord  Pre- 
sident of  the  Council,  the  Lord  Privy  Seal,  the 
Great  Chamberlain,  the  Constable,  the  Lord 
Marshal,  the  Lord  Admiral,  the  Grand  Master 
or  Lord  Steward  of  the  Household,  the  King's 
Chamberlain,  and  tlie  King's  Secretary,  had  not 
theretofore  had  a  place  appointed  them  in  Par- 
liament by  reason  of  those  Offices,  and  Precedency 


1  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  pp.  439, 4?4?2,  et  passim. 

2  Cromwell  was  appointed  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  on  the  12th  of 
April,  24.  Hen.  VIIL  1533,  and  on  the  12th  of  April,  25  Hen.  VIH.  1534, 
he  was  described  as  the  King's  "  First  Secretary."  Foedera,  vol.  xiv. 
pp.  4:56,  536. 

3  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  4?25. 

4  Foedera,  vol.  xiv.  p.  572.  Cromwell  was  still  Secretary  in  May 
1536,  when,  by  the  title  of  "  our  Secretary,"  he  obtained  a  Prebend 
in  the  Church  of  Salisbury.     Ibid.  p.  569. 


C6 


PREFACE.  cxxi 

is  then  assigned  to  them  respectively.     The  sixth     Kisq's 

1  •         /•  11  Skcretart; 

clause  is  as  lollows : — 

*'  And  it  is  also  enacted  by  authority  afore- 
^  said,  That  the  King's  Chief  Secretary,  being 
of  the  degree  of  a  Baron  of  the  Parliament, 
shall  sit  and  be  placed  afore  and  above  all 
**  Barons,  not  having  any  of  the  Offices  above 
^  mentioned ;  and  if  he  be  a  Bishop,  that  then 
^  he  shall  sit  and  be  placed  above  all  other 
"  Bishops,  not  having  any  of  the  Offices  above 
"  remembered." 

It  is  afterwards  provided : — 

"  That  all  Dukes  not  afore  mentioned.  Mar- 

"  quesses.  Earls,  Viscounts,  and  Barons,  not  having 

any   of  the   Offices  aforesaid,  shall  sit   and  be 

placed  after  their  ancienty,  as  it  hath  been  accus- 

"  tomed." 

It  was  also  enacted, — 

"  That  if  any  person  or  persons  which  at 
"  any  time  hereafter  shall  happen  to  have  any 
"  of  the  said  Offices  of  Lord  Chancellor,  Lord 
"  Treasurer,  Lord  President  of  the  King's  Coun- 
"  cil.  Lord  Privy  Seal,  or  Chief  Secretary, 
**  shall  be  under  the  degree  of  a  Baron  of  the 
Parliament,  by  reason  whereof  they  can  have 
ho  interest  to  give  any  assent  or  dissent  in 
"  the  said  House,  that  then,  in  every  such  case, 
"  such  of  them  as  shall  happen  to  be  under 
"  the  said  degree  of  a  Baron,  shall  sit  and  be 
**  placed  at  the  uppermost  part  of  the  sacks  in 
"  the    midst    of   the    said   Parliament    Chamber, 


(4 


i4 


cxxii  PREFACE. 

Kino's  «  either  there  to  sit  upon  one  form,  or  upon  the 
"  uppermost  sack,  the  one  of  them  above  the 
"  other,  in  order  as  is  above  rehearsed/* 

It  was  further  enacted, — 

•'  That  as  well  in  all  Parliaments  as  in  the 
"  Star  Chamber,  and  in  all  other  Assemblies  and 
"  Conferences  of  Council,  the  Lord  Chancellor, 
"  the  Lord  Treasurer,  the  Lord  President,  the 
*'  Lord  Privy  Seal,  the  Great  Chamberlain,  the 
"  Constable,  the  Marshal,  the  Lord  Admiral,  the 
"  Grand  Master  or  Lord  Steward,  the  King's 
"  Chamberlain,  and  the  King's  Chief  Secretary, 
M  shall  sit  and  be  placed  in  such  order  and  fashion 
^^  as  is  above  rehearsed,  and  not  in  any  other  place, 
^*  by  authority  of  this  present  Act."  ^ 

As  the  King's  Secretary  is  spoken  of  in  the 
singular  number,  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  Office 
was  held  by  one  person  only;  but  it  is  probable 
that  he  was  then  assisted  in  his  higher  duties  by 
Sir  Kalph  Sadler,  (who  certainly  conducted  the 
King's   correspondence  as   early  as  July  1538  S) 


1  Stat  SI  Hen.  Vm.  c  10. 

'  See  State  Papers,  vol.  i.  pp.  578,  580,  581.  That  some  of  the  other 
Secretaries,  and,  in  their  absence,  the  Clerks  of  the  Signet,  occasionally 
wrote  the  King's  letters,  is  evident  from  a  letter  from  Sir  Thomas 
Heneage  to  Wolsey,  written  at  Tittenhanger  in  1528,  telling  him  that 
the  King  desired  he  would  send  his  letters  to  some  Bishops  and  Abbots, 
respecting  certain  offices,  which  Sir  William  Compton  had  held  under 
them,  <^  to  stay  them  until  His  pleasure  be  farther  known ;  for  he  neither 
**  knoweth  them,  ne  hath  any  Secretaries  or  other  of  the  Signet  here  to 
"  make  out  his  letters."    (State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  306.) 


PREFACE.  cxxiii 

and,  in  business  of  little  importance,  by  the  Secre-      Kino's 
tary  for  the  Latin  and  French  languages.^ 

A  very  important  change  soon  afterwards 
took  place  in  the  Office  of  the  King's  Principal 
Secretary,  by  the  division  of  it  between  two  per- 
sons, who  were  to  bear  the  same  title,  perform 
the  same  duties,  and  hold  the  same  ranL  The 
Warrant  for  their  appointment  has  been  lately 
printed';  and  though  the  date  is  not  stated,  it 
is  evident,  from  its  referring  to  the  Act  for  Pre- 
cedency, that  it  must  have  been  issued  after 
April  1539. 

The  Warrant  commences  by  providing  "  that 
**  Thomas  Wriothesley  and  Ralph  Sadler,  and  every 
**  of  them,  shall  have  the  Name  and  Office  of 
"  the  King's  Majesty's  Principal  Secretaries  during 
^^  his  Highness's  pleasure,"  and  that  all  fees 
belonging  to  the  Office  of  his  Majesty's  Prin- 
cipal Secretary  shall  be  equally  divided  between 
them.      They  were  to  "  keep  two  of  his  Grace's 

iln  November,  10  Hen.  VII.  1494»  and  August,  10  Hen.VIIL  1518, 
John  Meautis  was  the  King's  Secretary  for  the  French  language. 
(Foedera,  voL  xii.  p.  566 ;  and  vol.  xlii.  p.  206.)  In  January  154«1,  Thomas 
Sentemount  had  that  situation,  but  he  was  soon  afterwards  succeeded  by 
John  Masyn,  who  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  Council,  pro  tempore^  in 
September  in  that  year.  (Proceedings  of  the  Council,  voLvii.  pp.122, 248.) 
In  the  Srd  Edw.VI.  1549,  Peter  Vannes  was  appointed  Latin  Secretary 
for  life,  to  execute  that  office  himself,  or  by  his  sufficient  deputy, 
(Foedera,  vol.  xv.  p.  200),  which  appears  to  have  been  the  first  appoint- 
ment of  a  Latin  Secretary ;  an  office  which  was  afterwards  dignified  by 
the  occupation  of  Milton,  and  which  still  exists.  Vannes  was  still  Latin 
Secretary  in  February  1542. 

2  State  Papers,  vol.  L  p.  623. 


cxxiv*  PREFACE. 

King's  ^^  Seals  called  his  Signets,  and  seal  such  things^ 
CRETARY.  ^j  nyarrants,  and  writings,  both  for  inward  and 
"  outward  parties,  as  had  been  accustomed  to  be 
"  passed  by  them."  Each  of  them  was  to  keep 
a  Book  of  such  Warrants  as  passed  by  either 
of  their  hands,  and  "  the  one  was  to  be  always 
"  made  privy  to  the  other's  Register."  They  were 
both  to  be  lodged  in  the  King's  palace,  with  the 
allowances  which  had  been  hitherto  assigned  to 
the  Secretary.  Whenever  the  Lord  Privy  Seal  was 
present  in  the  Court,  both  the  Secretaries  were 
"  to  accompany  him  at  his  table,"  and  during  his 
absence  they  were  to  have  his  diet  for  diemselves, 
and  such  others  as  were  appointed  to  that  table. 
In  all  Councils,  as  well  in  the  King's  Household  as 
in  the  Star  Chamber,  and  elsewhere,  all  Peers  and 
the  Treasurer,  Comptroller,  Master  of  the  Horse, 
and  the  Vice-Chamberlain  were  to  sit  above  them ; 
but  they  were  to  be  placed  next  to  the  Vice-Cham- 
berlain, and  above  all  other  Members  of  the  Privy 
Council. 

Notwithstanding  the  provision  of  the  Act  for 
Precedency,  that  the  Principal  Secretary  should 
always  sit  in  the  House  of  Lords  upon  one  of  the 
woolsacks,  yet,  in  consideration  of  the  services 
which  Wriothesley  and  Sadler  might  render  in  the 
Lower  House,  where  they  then  had  seats,  it  was 
ordered  that,  during  the  King's  pleasure,  they 
should  both  sit  on  the  woolsacks  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  on  such  days  as  the  King,  or  the  Speaker, 
was  present ;  but  that  on  all  other  days  one  of  them 


PK£FAC£*  CXXV 

should  sit  one  week  in  the  House  of  Lords,  and     Kivo's 

SjBC  RXT  AST 

the  other  in  the  House  of  Commons  alternately, 
except  on  those  days  when  special  matters  were 
treated  of  in  the  Lower  House,  on  which  occasions 
they  were  both  permitted  to  attend  therein.  In 
all  other  places,  as  well  in  the  King's  Household  as 
elsewhere,  they  were  to  enjoy  the  place  of  the 
Principal  Secretary,  in  the  accustomed  manner.  • 
This  alteration  in  the  office  of  King's  Principal 
Secretary  has  been  supposed  to  have  arisen  from 
the  disgrace  of  Cromwell,  which  occurred  about  the 
time  when  the  change  took  place  ^;  but  however 
probable  that  conjecture  may  be,  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  the  Royal  Warrant  only  carried  into 
effect  an  arrangement  which  had,  in  fact,  for  some 
time  existed,  and  which  closely  resembled  the  ap- 
pointment of  Dr., King,  as  coadjutor  to  Secretary 
Hatclyffe,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Fourth.^ 

It  is  very  remarkable,  that   the  Precedency 
given  to  the  Principal  Secretaries  by  the  King's 
Warrant,  should  be  at  variance  with  that  assigned  to 
the  Chief  Secretary  by  the  Statute  of  the  31st  of 
Hen.  VIIL,  though  it  is  the  same  that  has  ever  since 
been  held  by  the  Secretaries  of  State,  when  below 
the  rank  of  Peers.     By  the  Statute,  the  Chief  Se- 
cretary is  to   be  placed  in    all   Parliaments   and 
Councils  next  after  the  King's  Chamberlain,  and 
nothing  is  said  of  the  Treasurer  and  Comptroller 
of  the  Household,  the  Master  of  the  Horse,  or  the 


^  State  Papen,  Preface,  p.xL  3  p.<*ix)  aniea. 


cxxvi  PREFACE. 

KiKo'fl      Vice-Chamberlain  ;  but  the  Warrant  states^  that  all 
Sbcrmtary.  ^jj^g^  Officers,  as  well  as  all  Peers,  shall  sit  above 

the  Principal  Secretaries.  Upon  the  subject  of 
the  King's  prerogative  in  granting  Precedency  some 
doubts  have  been  expressed ;  and  without  entering 
into  the  questions,  whether  the  Statute  of  the 
31st  Hen.  VIIL  had,  or  was  intended  to  have,  any 
operation  except  in  Parliaments  and  Councils,  or 
whether  the  Royal  Prerogative  was,  or  was  not,  re- 
strained by  that  Act,  it  is  sufficient  to  observe  that 
the  Precedency  assigned  to  the  Principal  Secretaries 
by  the  Statute  is  the  proper  rank  of  a  Secre- 
tary of  State  when  a  Commoner;  for  not  only 
have  the  regulations  prescribed  by  the  Warrant 
never  passed  the  Great  Seal,  but  even  if  they  had 
done  so,  Letters  Patent  could  not  controul  the  pro- 
visions of  an  Act  of  Parliament. 

It  is  doubtful  how  long  the  arrangement  that 
the  two  Principal  Secretaries  should  sit  alternately, 
or  together,  in  either  House  of  Parliament,  sub- 
sisted* In  the  House  of  Lords  they  were  merely 
auditors,  and,  like  the  Judges  and  Masters  in 
Chancery,  might  sit  therein  without  creating  an 
anomaly  or  inconvenience;  but  it  was  evidently 
not  contemplated  that  their  attendance  in  the 
Lower  House  should  continue  after  Wriothesley 
and  Sadler  ceased  to  be  Members  of  the  House 
of  Commons.  At  this  moment,  however,  the 
Principal  Secretaries  of  State  have  clearly  the 
right  of  sitting  on  the  uppermost  part  of  the 
sacks  in  the  midst  of  the  House  of  Lords  according 


X  IvJclr*AC£a  CXXvii 

to  the  Statute,  "  either  there  to  sit  upon  A  form,     King's 
"  or  upon  the  uppermost  sack,"  though  the  pri- 
vilege has  been  rarely  exercised. 

•  In  August  1540,  Sir  Thomas  Wriothesley  and 
Sir  Ealph  Sadler  were  respectively  called  "the 
"  King's  Principal  Secretary,''  and  were  then  both 
Privy  Councillors.  They  continued  the  King's 
Secretaries  so  late  as  September  1543^;  and  pro- 
bably until  Wriothesley  was  raised  to  the  Peerage, 
and  made  Lord  Keeper,  in  April  1544. 

Shortly  after  Wriothesley's  promotion.  Re- 
gulations were  again  made  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Royal  Household  ^  wherein  a  list 
occurs  of  the  Officers  of  State,  and  of  all  the 
King's  servants.  Among  the  Officers  are  "  Sir 
"  Thomas  [William]  Paget,  Sir  William  Peter^  and 


>  Foedera,  toL  xv.  p*  8. 

2  These  Regulations,  which  are  entitled  '^Bouche  of  Court,"  are  included 
in  the  **  Collection  of  Ordinances  for  the  Royal  Household,**  printed 
by  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  in  1790,  and  exhibit  a  remarkable   in- 
stance of  editorial  carelessness.    Notwithstanding  every  name  in  the 
list  of  the  Officers  of  the  Household  proves  that  the  article  could  not 
possibly  have  been  compiled  before  the  36th  Hen.  VIII.  1544,  it  follows, 
and  is  caUed  part  of,   the  Ordinances  made  at  Eltham   in  January, 
17  Hen.  VIIL  1526.    This  error  is  the  more  glaring  from  the  fact,  not 
only  that  the  manuscript  of  the  Ordinances  made  at  Eltham  clearly  shews 
that  thb  article  does  not  belong  to  them,  but  it  does  not  even  occur  in 
any  part  of  the  volume  (Harleian  MS.  642),  from  which  it  professes  to 
have  been  printed. 

s  It  is  said  that  Sir  William  Peter  was  made  Principal  Secretary  on 
Wriothesley's  promotion.  (State  Papers,  vol.  i.  p. 764.)  Sir.  William 
Paget  was  described  as  one  of  the  two  Principal  Secretaries  on  th& 
96thL  of  June  1544,  and  Sir  William  Peter  bore  that  designation  on  the 
11th  of  July  in  the  same  year.    (Foedera,  voL  xv.  pp.30,  46.)    In 


cxxviu  PREFACE. 

King's      '*  Mr.  Haire,  Secretaries."     Sir  William  Paget,  who 

Sbcretary 

'  had  been  Secretary  to  the  Queen,  and  Clerk  of  the 
Council  S  and  Sir  William  Peter,  were  the  two 
Principal  Secretaries,  and  Mr.  Haire  was  probably 
the  French  or  Latin  Secretary.^  It  was  at  the 
same  time  ordered  that  the  two  Secretaries  should 
sit  in  their  own  chambers,  and  be  served  by  their 
own  servants ;  and  their  allowance  for  diet  was  set- 
tled ^  the  annual  expence  of  which  amounted  to 
the  large  sum,  for  that  period,  of  £S13^ 

From  the  year  1540  to  the  present  time,  there 
have  been  sometimes  two  Principal  Secretaries,  and 
occasionally  there  have  been,  as  at  present,  no  less 
than  three.  The  first  instance  of  there  being  three 
Principal  Secretaries  was  in  June  1553,  when  Sir 
John  Cheke  was  appointed,  in  addition  to  Sir 
William  Peter  and  Sir  William  Cecill.^ 

The  documents  printed  in  the  Foedera  tend 
to  shew,  that  for  many  years  after  the  accession 
of  Queen  Elizabeth,  there  was  only  one  Prin- 
cipal Secretary.  Sir  William  Cecill,  afterwards 
the  celebrated  Lord  Burleigh,  held  that  Office  for 
many  years,  and  on  being  made  Lord  Treasurer 


January  1547,  Sir  William  Paget  -was  styled  "  Chief  of  Your  Majesty *» 
"<<  two  Principal  Secretaries,"  (State  Papers,  voL  L  p.  897.) 

1  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  vol.  vii.  pp.  %  248. 

2  Regulations  of  the  Household,  p.  165.  ^  Ibid.  pp.  172,  188. 
4  Ibid.  p.  192. 

^  State  Papers,  toL  i.  p.  xL  On  the  12th  of  April  in  that  year,  hovr- 
ever,  Sir  William  Cecill  was  described  as  "  one  of  our  tico  Secreta riesw'* 
Foedera,  vol.  xv.  p.  330. 


PREFACE.  cxxix 

and  a  Peer  in  1571,  he  was  succeeded  by  Sir  Tho-  ^  King's 

•^      _  Secretary. 

mas  Smith,  who  was  followed  by  Sir  Francis 
Walsingham.  In  1578  Dr.  Wilson  became  Joint 
Principal  Secretary,  and  that  situation  was  filled  by 
the  unfortunate  Davison  in  October  1586, 

No  earlier  instance  has  been  discovered  of  the 
use  of  the  title  "Secretary  of  State ^^^  than  in 
February,  43  Eliz,  1601,  when  Sir  Robert  Cecil! 
was  styled  "our  Principal  Secretary  of  Estate." 
His  coadjutor  was  John  Herbert,  Esquire,  who  is 
described  in  the  same  instrument  as  one  of  "  our 
"  Secretaries  of  Estate."^  In  the  next  reign  the 
title  became  generally  adopted,  in  its  more  modern 
term,  of  "  Secretary  of  State." 

During  the  reign  of  King  James  the  First, 
there  were  at  one  period  three  Principal  Secre- 
taries called  "  Secretaries  of  State  j"  and  mention  is 
made  of  a  Secretary  for  Scotland,  and  of  an  "Under 
"  Secretary,"  as  well  as  of  the  Queen's  Secretary^ 

^  It  would  appear,   from   the   manner   in  which   the    two  Principal 

Secretaries  are   described  in  the  Commission  for  the  trial    of   Mary 

Queen  of  Scots,  dated  on  the  6th  of  October  ISBSy  that  the  appellation 

of  ^  Secretary  of  State^  was  not  then  used.    Among  the  Commissioners 

were  **  Sir  Francis  Walsingham,  one  of  our  Principal  Secretaries,  and 

<«  another  of   our  Privy  Council,"  and  <<  William  Davison,  Esquire, 

<<  another  of  our   Principal  Secretaries,  and  of   the  Privy  Council." 

John  WoUey,  the  Latin  Secretary,  was  then  also  a  person  of   some 

consideratioo,  for    he    was  a  Privy  CounciUor,  and  was   one  of  the 

Commissioners  for  Mary's  trial. 

'  Foedera,  voL  xvi.  p.  S99. 

9  ^  Sir  John  Herbert,  our  Under  Secretary ;"  *<  Sir  James  Elvaston, 
«*  Knight,  our  Secretary  for  Scotland ; "  "  Mr.  Fowler,  Secretary  to  our 
«  dear  bedfellow."  Ordinances  for  the  King's  Household,  (17th  July  to 
Jan.  1. 1604^)  p.  307. . 

TOL.  VI.  i 


Cxxx  PREFACE. 

King's     who   was    described   as  the  "  Queen's  Principal 
'  "  Secretary  and  Master  of  Requests.*'^ 

In  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth  the  annual 
fee  or  salary  of  the  Principal  Secretary  was  d£lOO, 
with  a  table ;  of  the  Secretary  in  the  Latin  tongue 
jC40,  with  a  table ;  and  of  the  Secretary  in  the 
French  tongue,  £66,  13*.  4rf.,  but  he  was  not  pro- 
vided with  a  table  ^;  and  no  alteration  seems  to 
have  been  made  in  those  salaries  and  allowances 
until  after  the  Revolution  of  1689.^  In  the  reign 
of  William  and  Mary  the  first  Principal  Secretary 
was  allowed  £730  per  annum  for  his  "  board 
"  wages,''  whilst  his  colleague  received  only  £292/ 

The  co-existence  of  more  than  two  Secretaries 
of  State  is  said  to  have  been  only  ^^  a  casual  deviation 
*^  from  the  usual  practice,"  until  the  Union  with 
Scotland,  "when  the  number  was  professedlyin- 
"  creased  to  three ;"  and  the  following  statement 
is  also  taken  from  the  preface  to  the  State  Papers, 
lately  printed  by  a  Commission  issued  in  1830  for 
the  publication  of  the  more  valuable  documents 
in  the  State  Paper  Office : — 

"  Soon  after  the  Union  with  Scotland  the 
"  number  of  Secretaries  of  State  was  professedly 
"  increased  to  three.  Queen  Anne,  on  the  3rd 
"  of  February  1708,  declared  in  Council,  that  the 

1  Collection  of  Ordinances  for  the  Royal  Household,  4to.  1790,  p.  S50. 

3  Ibid.  p.  250.  These  allowances  appear  to  have  been  independent  of 
Fees. 

>  Vide  Peck's  Desiderata  Curiosa,p.58;  Archseologia,  yoLxv.p.  77; 
and  the  Additional  MS.  in  the  British  Museam,  4610.  f.  17. 

^  Collection  of  Ordinances  for  the  Royal  Household^  p.  406.- 


PREFACE.  cxxxi 

"  public    business    increasing,    her   Majesty   had      King's 

"  thought   fit  to  appoint    a    third    Secretary    of 

"  State  of  Great   Britain,  but  that  she  intended 

^  nevertheless,  to  continue   the  Foreign  Affairs, 

^  for   the    present,    in    the  course    of  dispatch 

"  they  were    then    in ;    and    on   the    same    day 

''  James  Duke  of  Queensberry  was  sworn  one  of 

"  her  Majesty's   Principal    Secretaries  of  State,"^ 

"  He   and  his  successors  were  esteemed  Secre- 

*  taries  of  State  for  Scottish  affairs ;  but  the  prao- 
**  tice  of  appointing  such  an  Officer  was  disconti- 

*  nued  in  1746,  when  John  Marquis  of  Tweeddale 
^  resigned  the  Seals ;  and  there  were  only  two 
"  Secretaries  of  State  'till  the  20th  of  January 
"  1768,  when  William  Earl  of  Shelbume,  being 

Secretary  of  State,  and'  Mr.  Seymour  Conway 
having  resigned  that  Office,  Thomas  Viscount 
^  Weymouth,  and  Wills  Earl  of  Hillsborough  were 
"  sworn  Secretaries  of  Stated  the  latter  becoming 
**  a  third  Secretary,  and  being  destined  to  act 
^  for  the  Colonies.  But  by  the  Statute  22  Geo.  III. 
**  a  82.  *  the  Office  commonly  called  or  known  by 
^  *  the  name  of  Third  Secretary  of  State,  or  Secre- 
"  'tary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,'  was,  among 
^  others,  suppressed  and  abolished ;  and  from  that 
^  time  the  number  of  Secretaries  of  State  remained 
«  two,  until  the  11th  of  July  1794,  when  William 
"  Henry  Duke  of  Portland  was  made  a  Secretary 
^  of  State^  in  addition  to  William  Wyndham,  Lord 

1  «  Council  Register." 
i  2 


cxxxii  PREFACE. 

Kikg's      '^  Grenville,  and  Henry  Dundas.    And  the  number 
'  "  has  since  that  period  been  constantly  three.*' 

It  appears  from  the  preceding  statements,  that 
although  the  Office  of  King's  Secretary  has  always 
been  held  by  confidential  persons,  selected  on  ac- 
count of  their  talents,  yet  that  for  many  centuries 
it  bore  little  resemblance,  either  in  its  duties  or 
responsibility,  to  that  of  a  Secretary  of  State  in 
modern  times.  While  learning  was  to  be  found 
only  in  the  cloister,  the  King's  Secretary  was  a 
priest ;  and  a  layman  never  appears  to  have  held 
that  situation  until  the  middle  of  the  reign  of  King 
Henry  the  Eighth.  After  a  few  years  service  he 
was  frequently  promoted  to  the  office  of  Keeper  of 
the  Privy  Seal,  and  was  sometimes  rewarded  with 
a  Mitre.  He  was  originally  appointed  by  the 
delivery  of  the  King's  Signet;  and  that  circum- 
stance, unlike  the  delivery  of  the  Great  Seal,  was 
not  recorded,  or  necessarily  performed  in  the  pre- 
sence of  witnesses.  No  Patent  was  issued  for  the 
appointment  of  a  Principal  Secretary  (except  for 
the  French  and  Latin  languages)  until  the  year 
1578  ;  and  it  is  therefore  very  difficult  to  ascertain 
the  names  of  the  various  persons  who  have  held 
that  situation.  In  January  in  that  year  Dr.  Tho- 
mas Wilson  was  appointed  one  of  the  Principal 
Secretaries,  by  Patent^  since  which  time  the  Secre- 


1  As  that  Patent  is  the  earliest  which  is  known  to  have  been  issued 
to  a  Secretary  of  State,  a  copy  of  it  is  subjoined : — 

**  Regina  omnibus  ad  quos  &c.  salutem.  Sciatis  quod  nos  de  fidelitate 
'<  indttstria  prudentia  experientia  et  aliis  virtutibus  egregiis  dilecti  et 


PREFACE.  cxxxiii 

taries  of  State  have  been  usuallV)  if  not  always,      Kino's 
appointed  by   Patent,  after  receiving  the    Signet 
from  the  King^s  hands. 

Though  the  first  of  the  King's  Secretaries,  of 
whom  the  name  has  been  discovered,  was  a  Mem- 
ber of  the  Council,  it  was  not  until  towards  the 
middle  of  Henry  the  Sixth's  reign  that  they  were 

*  fiddis  Consiliarii  nostri  Thomae  Wybon  armigeri  plurimum  confidentes 
**  ^)5iim  Thomam  Wilson  unum  Secretariorum  nostrorum  Primariorum 
«  nominamus  ordinamus  et  constituimus  per  pnesentes.  Habendum  et 
**  gandendum  Officium  unius  Secretariorum  nostrorum  Primariorum 
"  prsedictorum  prsefato  Thorns  Wilson  cum  omnibus  commoditatibus 
''  praeeminentiis  locis  dignitatibus  allocationibus  et  emoluments  quibus- 
**  eomque  eidem  Officio  spectantibus  sive  pertinentibus  durante  ben<^ 
**  fbuato  nofltro.  £t  ulterius  dedimus  et  concessimus  ac  per  praesentes 
<*  damus  et  concedimus  eidem  Thomae  Wylson  erga  supportacionem 
^  onerum  snorum  sibi  ratione  Officii  praedicti  incumbentium  quandam 
««  amrahalem  sive  annualem  redditum  centum  librarum  Habendum 
*^  gandendum  et  percipiendum  dictam  annuitatem  sive  anniudem  red- 
**  ditum  centum  librarum  praefato  Thomas  Wylson  a  festo  Sancti 
^  Midiaelis  Archangeli  ultimo  praeterito  ante  datam  praesentium  durante 
"  Tita  sua  de  thesauro  nostro  haeredum  et  successorum  nostrorum  ad 
^  Receptam  Scaccarii  nostri  Westmonasterii  haeredum  et  successorum 
**  nostronun  per  manus  Thesaurarii  et  Camerariorum  ejusdem  ad 
**  qnatoor  anni  terminos  videlicet  ad  festa  Natalis  Domini  Annuntia* 
**  tionis  Beatae  Mariae  Virginis  Nativitatis  Sancti  Johannb  Baptistae  et 
**  Sancti  Michaelis  Archangeli  per  equales  portiones  solvendum  absque 
**  nllo  compoto  aut  aliquo  alio  nobis  haeredibus  vel  successoribus  nostris 
**  reddendo  sive  solvendo.  Praecipimus  etiam  ac  per  praesentes  eisdem 
*^  ThesauTBrio  et  Camerariis  pro  tempore  existentibus  mandamus  quod 
**  de  thesauro  nostro  haeredum  et  successorum  nostrorum  in  custodia  sua 
<*  pro  tempore  ezistente  dictam  annuitatem  sive  annualem  redditum 
'^  centum  librarum  eidem  Thomae  Wylson  armigero  et  assignatis  suis 
**  solutionem  fieri  facient  de  festo  in  festum  secundum  vim  formam  et 
«(  effectum  hujos  nostrae  concessionis.  £o  quod  expressa  mentio  &Ck 
**  In  cujus  rei  &c.  Teste  Regina  apud  Westmonasterium  quinto  die 
^  JanuariL  Per  breve  de  Private  SlgilloJ* 

Rot.  Pat.,  20  Eliz.  pari  10^ 

i  3 


CXXXiv  PREFACE. 

King's  always  Privy  Councillors.  As  the  affairs  of  the 
Country  were  then  conducted  entirely  by  the  King 
and  his  Continual  or  Privy  Council,  his  Secretary, 
when  a  Member  of  the  Council,  of  course  shared 

« 

the  responsibility  of  the  other  Councillors;  but 
except  in  being  one  of  the  King's  Councillors, 
he  was  a  mere  executive  Oflficer,  answerable  only 
to  the  Sovereign  himself  for  the  manner  in  which 
he  performed  duties  involving  no  Constitutional 
responsibility,  and  consisting  merely  in  a  faithful 
and  implicit  obedience  to  the  King's  commands. 
The  duties  of  the  King's  Principal  Secretary  seem, 
therefore,  formerly  to  have  more  closely  resembled 
those  of  the  King's  Private  Secretary  ^  than  those 
of  the  Secretaries  of  State,  of  the  present  day. 

1  As  the  situation  of  King's  Private  Secretary  is  of  a  peeoHar 
nature,  and  has  been  the  subject  of  discussion  in  the  House  of  Commons^ 
a  few  observations  respecting  it  will  be  expected  in  this  place.  It  appears 
that  the  first  Sovereign  who  employed  a  Private  Secretary,  since  the  Re- 
volution at  least,  was  King  George  the  Third,  to  whom  a  confidential  person 
in  that  capacity  was  absolutely  necessary  on  his  Majesty's  becoming  afflicted 
with  the  loss  of  sight    When  his  late  Majesty,  George  the  Fourth,  be* 
came  Regent,  and  Colonel  Mac  Mahon,  a  Privy  Councillor,  was  appointed 
his  Private  Secretary,  with  a  salary  of  ^2,000  per  annum,  the  subject 
was  brought  before  the  House  of  Commons  on  the  14th  of  April  1812, 
and  caused  an  animated  and  important  debate.    It  was  contended  that 
such  an  Office  was  dangerous  and  unconstitutional,  as  it  must  inevitably 
render  the  person  holding  it  a  secret  adviser  of  the  King,  with  a  degree 
of  influence  over  the  Royal  mind  inconsbtent  with  the  forms  of  Gorem- 
ment  in  this  country,  and  destructive  of  a  fundamental  principle  of  tlie 
Constitution,  namely,  that  no  one  can  use  the  name  of  the  Sovereign,  offer 
Him  advice,  or  convey  His  commands,  except  he  be  one  of  the  respon* 
sible  Ministers  of  the  Crown,  answerable  to  Parliament  for  his  conduct. 
But  it  was  said,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  Office  was  not  one    of 
responsibility ;  but  was  precisely  like  that  of  any  other  Private  Secretary 


PREFACE.  CXXXV 

Although  the  Office  of  the  King's  Principal  ^  Kino's 

^  /»  Secretary. 

Secretary  has  gradually  become  one  of  the  most 
important  in  the  Government,  it  is  not  easy  to 
state  precisely  when,  or  under  what  circumstances, 
the  change  took  place.  The  commencement  of  the 
reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth  may,  perhaps,  be  con- 
sidered as  the  period  when  the  King's  Secretary 
became  an  Officer  of  great  consideration,  because 
the  situation  was  then  held,  for  the  first  time,  by  a 
person  of  the  rank  of  Bishop ;  it  having  always  been 
usual  for  its  possessor  to  resign  the  Office  on  being 
raised  to  the  Episcopal  bench.  Dr.  Kouthale,  who 
had  been  Secretary  to  Henry  the  Seventh,  retained 
that  employment,  however,  for  nearly  six  years 
after  he  became  Bishop  of  Durham  ;  and  it  is  not 
imlikely  that  the  office  itself  was  raised  in  estimation 
from  being  held  by  a  Prelate  of  his  eminent  station 
and  abilities. 


m  any  other  Office  of  the  State,  differing  only  in  the  rank  of  the  personage 
under  whom  it  was  held ;  that  it  was  only  an  instrument  for  carrying  on 
the  business  of  the  Country ;  that  if  the  appointment  was  not  divested 
of  aA  responnbility  there  would  be  nothing  to  justify  it  in  the  view  of  the 
Pariiament ;  and  it  was  particularly  stated  by  Lord  Castlereagh,  Secretary 
of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs,  that  the  individual  holding  it  was  '<  incom- 
**  petent  to  communicate  the  pleasure  of  the  King  in  any  way  that 
^  could  authorize  any  subject  in  the  land  to  attend  to  it,  or  to  act  upon 
*^  it  with  official  responsibility."    (  Vide  Cobbett's  Parliamentary  De- 
bates.}   The  attempt  to  prevent  Colonel  Mac  Mahon's  appointment 
having  been  defeated  upon  a  division,  by  a  Ministerial  majority  of  176  to 
100,  there  has  ever  since  been  a  Private  Secretary  to  the  King ;  and  as 
many  of  the  Statesmen  who,  in  1812,  considered  the  situation  improper, 
have  subsequently  held  Office,  and  have  not  made  any  efforts  for  its  abo- 
lition, it  may,  perhaps,  be  inferred  that  they  have  not  found  its  existence 
ineonvenient  in  practice,  however  unconstitutional  it  may  appear  in  theory. 

i  4r 


cxxxvi  PREFACE. 

King's  In  the  reigns   of  Edward  the  Sixth,  Queen 

Mary,  and  Queen  Elizabeth,  the  duty  of  the 
Principal  Secretaries  was  still  very  different 
from  that  of  their  more  recent  successors,  and 
their  authority  very  inferior.  Perhaps  the  change 
may  be  assigned  to  the  period  when  the  affairs 
of  the  Country  were  conducted  by  the  Cabinet, 
instead  of  the  Privy  Council,  an  imperium  in  im- 
perio  which  followed  the  Revolution  of  1689, 
and  which  concentrated  all  the  powers  of  the 
Crown  in  a  few,  instead  of  being  divided  among 
many  of  its  advisers.  To  whatever^  causes  the 
alteration  in  the  nature  of  the  Office  of  Principal 
Secretary  may  be  ascribed,  it  took  place  without 
any  express  Law;  and  that  fact  affords  another 
proof  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Constitution 
has  accommodated  itself  to  circumstances,  and  of 
the  difficulty  of  tracing,  even  the  functions  and 
powers  of  some  of  the  highest  Officers  of  the 
Crown,  to  any  defined  or  legal  source.  Without 
Letters  Patent,  much  less  an  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, (instruments  which  are  necessary  for  the 
creation  of,  and  appointment  to,  many  of  the  hum- 
blest Public  offices,)  the  King's  Secretary,  from 
being  little  more  than  the  clerical  instrument  for 
conveying  his  Sovereign's  commands,  has  become 
one  of  the  most  influential  Ministers  of  State, 
whose  signature  is  absolutely  requisite  to  legalize 
nearly  every  act  of  the  Crown ;  whose  authority 
to  use  the  King's  name  cannot  be  disputed  by 
any   one,  except   by  the  King  himself;    who  is 


PREFACE.  cxxxvii 

answerable  with  his  liberty  and  life  to  Parliament  King'* 
for  the  Constitutional  and  judicious  exercise  of 
the  Prerogatives  of  the  Crown ;  and  who,  in  the 
present  distribution  of  the  Office  among  three 
individuals  of  co-ordinate  authority,  performs  most 
of  the  functions  of  the  Government,  with,  all  but, 
undefinable  powers  and  unlimited  authority. 

When  the  origin  and  history  of  the  Office  are 
considered,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  right  of  a 
Secretary  of  State  to  act  in  a  Magisterial  capacity, 
in  cases  which  involved  the  liberty  of  the  subject, 
should  have  been  doubted,  or  that  the  determination 
of  a  Court  of  Law  in  favour  of  that  right^  should 
have  been  afterwards  questioned,^  It  was  clear 
that  his  powers  were  derived  neither  from  the 
Common,  nor  the  Statute  Law ;  and  though,  from 


J  See  the  case  of  the  King  v.  Rowe  and  Kendall,  in  the  reign  of  William 
tiie  Third,  Comberbach,  343 ;  1  Salkeld,  347 ;  12  Modem,  82. 

^  The  suliject  is  fully  treated  of  in  some  papers  under  the  title  of 
''The  Craitsman,"  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine,  in  the  years  1731  and 
17S%  ToLL  p. 477;  toL  ii.  pp.914,  941.    The  powers  of  a  Secretary 
of  State  on  points  of  this  nature  were  much  discussed  in  the  case 
of  the  celebrated  John  Wilkes  in    1763,  with  reference  to  General 
Warrants.    Lord  Chief  Justice  Pratt  cautiously  refrained  from  attri- 
buting to  the   Office  the  authority   upon  which  Lords  Halifax  and 
Egremont  acted.    In  giving  judgment  he  said,  *<  he  should   consider 
**  a  Secretary  of  State's  Warrant,  through  the  whole  afiair,  as  nothing 
"  superior  to  the  Warrant  of  a  common  Justice  of  the  Peace;**  and 
though    it  was  contended  that  the  Warrant  issued  on  that  occasion 
was  **  according  to  the  uninterrupted  practice  of  the  Secretary  of  State's 
"  Office,"  it  was  said,  that  no  Warrants  of  a  similar  form  could  be 
found,  after  a  diligent  search,  before  the  reign  of  the  Stuarts,  and  very 
few  before  the  time  of  Lord  Arlington,  who  was  Secretary  of  State  to 
Charles  the  Second.     Ibid,  vol.  xxxiii.  p.  242 ;  vol.  xxxiv.  p.  622. 


cxxxviii  PREFACE, 

Eiifo's      analogy,  the  right  of  commitment  was   held  by 
*  Lord  Chief  Justice  Holt  to  be  incidental  to  the 
Office,  there  would  have  been  some  difficulty  in 
finding  a  precedent  for  the  decision.^ 

To  the  preceding  remarks  on  the  anomalous, 
if  not  dangerous,  situation  of  a  Minister,  who  is 
obliged  to  exercise  great  powers  without  his  autho- 
rity being  defined,  it  is  satisfactory  to  be  able 
to  add  the  corroborative  opinion  of  an  eminent 
Statesman,  who  had  experienced  the  difficulties 
and  perils  of  such  a  position.  Sir  Robert  Cecill,  the 
first  Earl  of  Salisbury,  who  was  Secretary  of  State 
to  Queen  Elizabeth  and  James  the  First,  wrote 
a  tract^,  entitled  "  The  State  and  Dignity  of  a 
"  Secretary's  of  Estates  Place,  with  the  Care  and 
•*  Peril  thereof,*'  which  commences  with  the  fol- 
lowing observation : — 

"  All  Officers  and  Councillors  of  Princes  have 
"  a  prescribed  Authority  by  Patent,  by  Custom,  or 
"  by  Oath^  the  Secretary^  only  excepted ;  but  to 
"  the  Secretary,  out  of  a  confidence  and  singular 
"  affisction,  there  is  a  liberty  to  negotiate  at  dis- 
"  cretion,  at  home  and  abroad,  with  fi*iends  and 
"  enemies,  in  all   matters  of  speech  and  intelli- 


1  See  Searcher's  case,  temp.  Eliz.,  1  Leonard,  70. 

2  This  tract,  which  consists  only  of  four  leaves,  was  printed  in  164*2. 
There  are  several  manuscript  copies  of  it  in  the  British  Museum,  the 
one  in  the  Harleian  MS.  354.  being  called  "  The  State  of  a  Secretary's 
«  place,  and  the  PerilL" 

s  It  is  not  known  when  the  Secretaries  of  State  first  took  an  oath  of 
Office ;  but  *<  the  Oath  of  a  Secretary  of  State,''  occurs  in  a  curioua 
collection  entitled  <<  The  Book  of  Oatha,'*  ISmo,  printed  in  1649. 


PREFACE. 


CXXXIX 


^  ffence.    All  Servants  of  Princes  deal  upon  strons     King's 

.  .  SXCRXTABT. 

^  and  wary  authority,  and  warrant  disbursements 

^  as  Treasurers,   in  conference  with  enemies  as 

^  General,  in  Commissions  in  executing  Offices  by 

^  Eatent  and  Instructions,  and  so  in  whatsoever 

"  else ;  only  a  Secretary  hath  no  warrant  of  Com- 

^  mission,  no  not  in  matters  of  his  own/'     Lord 

Salisbury  afterwards    says: — "  On  the  other  side 

*^  the  place  of  a  Secretary  is  dreadful  if  he  serve 

^  not  a  constant  Prince;  for  he   that  liyeth    by 

**  trust  ought  to  serve  tridy,  so  he  that  lives  at 

"  mercy  ought  to  be  careful  in  the  choice  of  his 

^  master,  that  he  be  just  and  de  bond  naturd.^ 

All  that  need  be  added  on  the  subject  in 
this  place,  is  the  following  extract  from  the  preface 
to  the  volume  of  "  State  Papers  "  already  cited : — 
"  The  Secretaries  of  State  are  still  constituted, 
**  as  in  ancient  times,  by  the  King's  delivery  to  them 
^  of  the  Seals  of  Office ;  but,  in  addition  to  this 
"  investiture,  they  have  always  in  modem  times 
"  received  also  a  Patent  under  the  Great  Seal, 
"  This  was  certainly  the  case,  as  early  as  the  ap- 
"  pointment  of  Dr.  Wilson,  in  1578,  and  probably 
"  earlier.  Whatever  be  their  number,  they  con- 
"  stitute  but  one  Officer,  and  are  co-ordinate  and 
equal  in  rank  and  authority.  Each  is  competent 
to  execute  any  part  of  the  duties  of  the  Secretary 
"  of  State,  the  ordinary  division  of  those  duties 
"  between  them  being  merely  matter  of  arrange- 
"  ment,  for  the  more  convenient  dispatch  of 
"  business.    From  an  early  period  to  1782,  the  two 


€4 


Cxl  PREFACE. 

King's  "  Departments  were  denominated  the  Northern  and 
ECRETARY.  ^^  gouthem.  In  that  year  a  new  distribution  was 
"  made,  and  the  Departments  were  styled  the  Home 
"  and  the  Foreign,  of  which  the  former  attended 
*'  to  the  Colonial  affairs  until  the  revival  of  the  third 
"  Secretaryship,  in  1794,  when  the  superintendence 
"  of  the  Colonies  was  taken  from  the  Home  Secre- 
"  tary,  and  conducted  in  the  new  office,  which 
"  likewise  carried  on  the  correspondence  arising 
^'  out  of  the  war,  then  in  progress.*'^ 

Upon  other  subjects  connected  with  the  duties 
of  the  King's  Secretary,  at  an  early  period,  as  well 
as  with  an  important  question  which  is  illustrated 
by  the  Ordinance  of  the  Council  before  referred  to, 
some  observations  remain  to  be  made. 

THE  GREAT  SEAL. 

The  Great  The  progress  of  Constitutional  liberty  in  this 

Seal*  Country  is  shewn,  not  so  much  by  the  actual 
restraints  that  have  been  imposed  upon  the  powers 
of  the  Crown,  as  by  the  efforts  which  have  been 
made  to  render  the  King's  advisers  responsible  to 
Parliament,  that  those  powers  shall  be  exercised 
in  conformity  with  Law  and  Expediency ;  and  this 
object  has  been  principally  obtained  by  the  ap^ 
pointment  of  one  or  more  Officers  of  State,  whose 
sanction  and  concurrence  are  absolutely  necessary 
to  give  effect  to  the  Royal  commands. 


1  State  Papers,  vol.  i,  p.  xiL 


PREFACE-  cxli 

In  common  with  most  of  his  subjects  S  the  The  Great 
King  has  from  a  very  early  period  attested  every 
solemn  act,  by  affixing  to  the  instrument  either 
his  greater  or  smaller  Seal,  according  to  its  im- 
portance. When  the  manner  of  conducting  the 
Government  became  better  understood,  and  a  re- 
straint, however  trifling,  was  imposed  upon  the 
Eoyal  Pleasure,  the  highest  responsibility  was 
ihiown  upon  the  Officer  who  had  the  custody  of 
the  Great  Seal,  the  "  Clavis  Regni,''  as  it  is  hap- 
pily called  by  Lord  Coke^  without  which  no  mea- 
sure of  any  consequence  could  be  carried  into 
effect.  In  England  this  duty  has  always  been 
performed  by  the  King's  Chancellor,  who  is  con- 
sequently the  highest  Civil  Officer  in  the  King- 
dom, or  by  the  Keeper  of  the  Great  Seal.  Though 
a  Seal  was  n(ecessary  to  give  validity  even  to  the 
most  trifling  of  the  King's  written  commands, 
it  was  long  before  much  importance  was  at^ 
tached  to  the  Privy  Seal,  or  to  the  Royal  Signet, 
or  to  those  other  small  Seals,  which  were  occa- 
sionally affixed  to  the  King's  Letters  and  Warrants. 
Satisfied  that  the  Royal  Prerogative,  in  matters 
Injurious  to  the  property  or  liberties  of  the  people, 

1  See  Prynne's  ^<  Opening  of  the  Great  Seal,"  a  tract  printed  by  order 
of  the  House  of  Commons  in  164S,  4to.  p.  16.  There  is  also  a  tract 
on  the  Kingfs  Seals,  entitled,  ^Jus  Sigilli,  or  the  Law  of  England 
«  touching  the  four  principal  Seals,"  S^mo.  1673 ;  but  it  contains  little 
that  is  not  in  Coke's  Institutes,  and  that  little  is  of  no  value.  A  curious 
allusion  to  the  <<  Great  Seal*'  of  the  Earl  of  Northumberland  will  be 
found  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  yol.  i.  pp.  214,  217. 

>  2  Inst  p.  552. 


Thb  Great  could  only  be  exercised  with  the  sanction  of  the 
highest  Officer  in  the  Eealm,  the  attention  of  the 
Legislature  was  for  some  time  directed  only  to 
the  security  and  integrity  of  the  Great  Seal,  The 
most  ancient  writers  on  the  Law  declared  it  to 
be  high  treason  to  counterfeit  it^;  and  in  the 
28th  Edw.  I.,  it  was  enacted  that  no  Writ  relating 
to  the  Common  Law  should  henceforth  issue  under 
the  Privy  Seal  ^;  but  notwithstanding  this  judicious 
provision,  the  Crown  made  several  attempts  to 
render  the  Privy  Seal,  and  even  the  King's  Signets, 
of  equal  authority  to  the  Great  Seal. 

The  Privy  Seal  was  in  the  custody  of  the 
Clerk  of  the  Privy  Seal,  who  was  sometimes  called 
the  Keeper,  and  afterwards  Lord  Privy  Seal^, 
who  was  a  Member  of  the  King's  Council  as 
early  as  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Third,  and 
who  was  then,  if  not  before,  a  responsible  Mi- 
nister of  the  Crown,  The  Signet,  and  perhaps 
the  other  small  Seals,  which  will  be  again  alluded 
to,  were  always  kept  by  the  King's  Secretary,  or 
by  the  King  himself. 

Soon  after  the  accession  of  King  Richard  the 
Second,  the  Commons  complained  that  the  due 
course  of  Law  had  been  impeded  by  the  King's 
Letters  issued  under  the  Privy  Seal  or  secret 
Signet,  to  the  great  grievance  of  the  people  *;  and 

1  Bracton,  lib.  2.   Britton,  cap.  8.  Glanville,  lib.  xiv.  c  7*   See  also  the 
'*  Close  Rolls,'*  voL  L  pp.  xxxiii,  15,  32. 

2  Stat  28  Edw.  I.  e.  2.     See  Coke's  Second  Institute,  pp.  554,  55ify. 

8  2  Inst  p.  55i!.  *  Rot  Pari.,  1  Ric.  11. 1377,  vol.  iii.  p.  23. 


PREFACE.  CxUii 

a  Statute  was  passed  in  the  11th  Ric  IL,  strictly  ThkGrbat 
prohibiting  that  practice,^ 

The  illegality  of  interrupting  the  administra- 
tion of  Justice  by  Royal  Warrants,  and  allowing 
the  King's  Signet  or  Privy  Seal  to  usurp  the  func- 
tions of  the  Great  Seal,  did  not,  however,  cease 
with  the  Statute  of  the  11th  Ria  IL  In  1389  the 
Coinmons  exhibited  a  Bill  in  Parliament,  contain* 
ing  a  list  of  numerous  grievances,  which  they  prayed 
the  King  to  remedy.  One  of  their  complaints 
was  the  practice  of  too  readily  granting  Charters 
of  Pardon  in  cases  of  treason,  murder,  and  rape ; 
and  they  requested  that  Pardons  might  not  in 
fiiture  be  granted  at  the  solicitation  of  any  one ; 
that  certain  fines  should  be  imposed  on  those 
Peers  and  Officers  of  the  Household  who  applied 
for  them ;  that  ^'  in  every  Bill  indorsed,  and  sealed 
^^  under  the  Signet,  and  sent  to  the  Keeper  of  the 
^  Privy  Seal,  the  name  of  him  who  applied  for  the 
^  Charter  should  be  inserted ;  and  that  no  Charter 
"  should  pass  the  Chancellor  without  Warrant  of 
"  Privy  SeaL"  The  King  consented  to  these  pro- 
positions, but  to  the  clause  that  <^no  Charter  of 
^  Pardon  of  treason  or  other  felony  should  pass 
^  the  Chancellor  without  warrant  of  Privy  Seal," 
he  added,  "  except  in  cases  where  the  Chan- 
"  celJor  may  grant  by  his  Office  without  speaking 
"  to  the  King."^     From  these  and  other  abuses 


1  Rot.  Pail,  11  Ric  II.  18S7,  voLiii.  p.  247;  and  Stat  11  Ric  II.  c  10. 
>  nmL,  13  Ric  II.  vol  ui.  p.  d6S. 


cxliv  PR£FAC£> 

The  Great  of  the  Royal   authority   such  general  discontent 

arose  as  led  to  the  impeachment  of  Richard's 
Ministers;  and  the  proceedings  on  the  occasion 
form  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  valuable  pre- 
cedents in  English  history,  for  insisting  that  the 
Royal  Prerogative  shall  be  exercised  in  a  Consti- 
tutional and  Lawful  manner.  Unhappily,  however, 
for  Richard,  he  did  not  discover  from  the  fate  of 
his  Ministers  that  Parliament  was  resolved  to  trace 
the  evil  to  its  source.  He  was  consequently  driven 
from  his  Throne,  leaving  in  the  history  of  his 
reign  an  impressive  lesson,  which  cannot  be  too 
often  read  by  the  student  of  the  Constitutional 
History  of  this  country. 

There  is    one    circumstance,   which,   though 
trifling  in  itself,  tends  to  shew  that  Richard  the 
Second  attached  the  highest  value  to  the  instru- 
ment by  which  he  was  desirous  of  governing  his 
Dominions  ;  and  that  he  considered  it  as  the  symbol 
of  Regal  authority.      On  declaring  in  full  Parliar- 
ment  that  he  had  resigned  the  Throne  in  favour 
of  Henry  Duke  of  Lancaster,  "  he  took  from  his 
*'  finger  his  gold  ring  of  the  Signet  of  the  Patents," 
and  placing  it  on  Henry's  finger,  as  a  token  that 
his  resignation  was  complete,  said  that  he  wished 
the  fact  to  be  made  known  to  all  the  estates  of 
the  Realm.  ^ 


I  <<  Et  in  signum  suae  intentionis  et  voluntatis  hujusmodi,  annulum  auri 
«  de  signeto  suo  Patentium  de  digito  suo  tunc  ibidem  extraxit  et  digito 
<<  dicti  Ducis  apposuit,  desiderans  hoc  ipsum  ut  asseruit  omnibus  regni 
"  statibufl  innotesci,"    Rot.  Pari,,  1  Hen,  IV.  1399,  voLiii.  p.  4-17. 


PREFACE.  cxiv 

Richard^s  illegal  proceedings,  in  endeavouring  Th^  Great  ' 
to  ^ve  to  Warrants  under  his  Signet,  and  to  Let- 
ters under  his  Privy  Seal,  equal  and  even  greater 
authority  than  to  Letters  Patent  or  Charters  under 
his  Great  Seal,  proved  a  salutary  warning  to  his 
successor. 

It  was  among  the  Petitions  of  the  Commons, 
in  the  Parliament  which  recognized  Henry  the 
Fourth  as  King,  that  all  releases  and  pardons 
granted  by  Richard  the  Second,  prejudicial  to 
the  interests  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  as  Duke  of 
Corawall,  might  be  annulled.  The  King  replied, 
that  all  pardons  and  grants  issued  under  the  Great 
Seal  should  remain  in  force,  but  that  all  which  had 
been  granted  under  the  Signet^  or  other  such  small 
Scab,  or  verhaUy^  should  be  entirely  repealed  ^ ; 
thus  shewing  respect  only  for  such  acts  of  the 
late  King  as  had  been  legally  carried  into  effect.^ 

*  RoL  Par]^  1  Hen.  IV.  1399,  vol.  iii.  p.  442. 

^  The  following  letter  from  the  Clerk  of  the  Crown  to  the  Chancellor,  in 
the  Ist  Hen.  IV.  1400,  also  shews  the  importance  which  was  then  attached 
to  the  lawful  use  of  the  King's  Seals. 

**  Tresre^ent  f '  1  men  fshonore  f '',  je  me  reeomank  a  vous 
•*  en  tant  come  je  puis.  Dautre  part  voilletz  savoir  q  nre 
**  Wedoute  f  le  Roy  est  ensy  enforme,  loiez  soit  Dieu,  qil  ne 
^  voet  ensealer  ovesq,  le  Seal  qil  ad  en  sa  garde  nufi  chose  q  touche 
'^  la  Coeleys,  mes  il  m'ad  comaunde  de  rescevr  les  geSalx  attomes 
"  de  toutz  ceux  q  irrount  ovesq,  luy  en  fiscoce,  sicome  il  vous  ad 
**  8tifie  par  son  ire  desouz  sou  signet  come  je  seu  enfo^me.  Par 
**  quoy  voilletz  savoir  q  jay  resceu  les  geSalx  attornes  de  Robert 
"  Lytton,  William  Brokesby,  John  Swett,  esquiers,  sicome  par  une 
**  bille  enclose  deins  ycestes  pluys  pleynment  poet  apparoir,  T;  p' 
**  tant  vo?  humblement  supplie  q  vo^  voilletz  comaunder  q  les  dita 
VOL.  VI.  k 


cxlvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  A  still  more   remarkable   instance  of  Henry 

Seal. 

the  Fourth's  adherence  to  Constitutional  principles, 
and  which  is,  perhaps,  the  first  Parliamentary 
record  of  the  responsibility  of  Ministers  of  the 
Crown,  occurred  a  few  years  afterwards.  In  May 
1406,  the  King,  having  taken  into  his  consider- 
ation the  numerous  claims  upon  his  time  and  at- 
tention, in  the  affairs  of  the  Kingdom,  appointed 
three  Bishops,  six  temporal  Peers,  the  Chancellor, 
the  Treasurer,  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  the 
Steward  and  Chamberlain  of  his  Household,  and 
three  other  persons,  Members  of  his  Privy  Coun- 
cil ;  and  commanded  them  to  exert  themselves  as 
much  as  possible  in  promoting  the  welfare,  and 
in  maintaining  the  Laws  and  Statutes,  of  the 
Realm.  The  King  then  directed  that  all  Bills 
indorsed  by  the  Chamberlain,  and  Letters  under 
the  Signet  addressed  to  the  Chancellor,  Treasurer, 
and  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  should  thenceforward 
be  indorsed  by,  or  be  written  with  the  advice  of,  the 
Council.  The  Chancellor,  Treasurer,  and  Keeper 
of  the  Privy  Seal,   and    other  Officers  were   not 


^^  ge&alx  attomes  soient  faitz  en  ma&e  accustume.  Aufs  ne  vo^  say • 
**  escrire  a  psent,  mes  q  le  benoit  Trinite  vo^  ottrois  bon  vie  t 
<*  sauncte  de  corps,  *l  longe  a  durer.  Escript  a  Pontfreyt,  le* 
"  xxiij.  jo'  de  Juyn,  en  a  foul  hast 

"  Tout  le  ^re  Svant, 
**  James  Billyngford.'* 
«  A  ?sre9ent  f '  t  sou  fehono'e  t 
<  Sire  Jolin  Scarle  Chauneeller  Dengle?re," 

Ex  orig,  in  Turn  LoDdon. 


PREFACE.  cxlvii 

to  grant  any  Charters  of  Pardon,  or  Collations  to  The  Great 
Benefices  except  with  the  advice  of  the  Council  j 
and  for  the  greater  security  and  independence  of 
its  Members,  the  important  condition  was  added^ 
that  they  might  resign  whenever  they  found  them- 
selves unable  to  perform  their  duties  with  advan- 
tage to  the  King's  service,  without  their  retirement 
exciting  his  displeasure.^ 

Besides  the  Great  Seal,  the  Privy  Seal,  and 
the  Signet,  King  Henry  the  Fifth  frequently  used 
Another  Seal,  called  "the  Signet  of  the  Eagle," 
on  which  an  Eagle  with  two  heads  was  engraved. 
The  earliest  notice  of  that  Seal,  which  was  derived 
from  the  honor  of  the  Eagle  in  Sussex,  a  part  of  the 
Duchy  of  Lancaster^,  is  in  1415,  when  it  was  affixed 
to  a  Codicil  to  the  King's  WilL*  A  Signet  was 
also  occasionally  used  by  King  Edward  the  Third, 
called  the  "Signet  of  the  Griffon"*;  and  these 
were,  probably,  the  "  other  small  Seals"  alluded  to 
by  Henry  the  Fourth  in  1399.^ 

'  Rot  ParL,  yoL  iii.  p.  572.  Lord  Lovell,  who  was  appointed  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Council  on  that  occasion,  prayed  to  be,  and  was,  excused  from 
senring,  because  he  had  certain  suits  pending  in  the  Courts  of  Law, 
which,  he  said,  would  prevent  his  performing  his  duty  ^*  honestement** 
Ihid.  p.  57S. 

3  Proceedings  of  the  Privy  Council,  voL  v.  p.  60 ;  and  Bishop  Beck- 
ington's  Journal,  Svo,  1828,  pp.  113^  129,  130,  where  the  Signet  of  the 
Eagle  is  engraved. 

«  FcBdeia,  voL  ix.  p.  299.  *  Und.  vol.  v.  pp.  106,  236. 

*  p.  cxlv,  aniea.  The  following  Petition  to  Parliament  in  the  4  Hen.  VI., 
relatiJig  to  the  Seals  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  is  curious : 

**  A  toutz  les  Seignrs  eq)irituelx  T;  tempelx  en  cest  psent  Par- 
^  lement  esteauntz     Supplie  humblement   vre  simple  1    pove 

k  2 


cxlviii  PREFACE. 

The  Great  The  Enrolment   on  the  Public   Records,  or. 

Seal. 

to  use  a  more  familiar  expression,  the  Regis- 
tration of  the  written  Acts  of  the  Sovereign, 
commences  with  the  reign  of  King  John.  As  all 
the  most  solemn  and  important  of  those  Acts 
were  passed  under  the  King's  Great  Seal,  the 
History  of  the  Great  Seal  is  contemporaneous  with 
the  record  of  the  documents  to  which  it  was  affixed  ; 
and,  for  many  centuries,  the  public  muniments 
present  numerous  notices  of  its  delivery  and  cus- 
tody. Whilst,  comparatively  speaking,  little  regard 
has  been  shewn,  as  a  matter  of  record,  to  the 
movements  of  the  King,  except  when  he  quitted 


^  oratrice  Emote  qe  fuist  la  feme  Jobn  Esmond,  orfe^e  de  Lon^ 
^  dres,  qe  come  au  dit  Jobn  sont  duez  certeins  somes  de  moneye, 
•*  pur  la  facion  1  mutaeion  di9ses  Sealx  del  &  noble  Roy  Henry 
**  Quarte,  qe  Dleu    assoille,  aiel  Sre  dit  sr  le  Roy  q'or  est,   qe 
^'  Dieu  garde,   par  son   comandement  demesne  en   sa  chambre; 
**  e'est  assavoir,   pur  la  facion  d'lm   grant  piere  Sealx  d'or  1.  li. 
^^  Item  pur  I'amendement  1  mutaeion  des  none  dez  Grant  Sealx 
**  patents  d'argent,  c  s.     Item,  pur  la  &isure  d*un  Prive  Seal  d*or, 
"  ove  un  cheine  1  ridell'  de  longure  deux  vergez  x.  li.     Item,  pur 
"  I'amendement  1  mutaeion  trois  peire  Sealx  patents  d'argent ;  c'est 
^'  assavoir,  un  pur  le  Bank  le  Roy,  Taut'  pur  le  Coe  Bank,  1  le 
"  tierce  pur  I'Escheker  du  Roy,  iiii.  li.    Item  pur  I'amendement 
"  1  mutaeion  deux  Sealx  pur  Caleis,  1  im  pur  Gu}nnes,  vi.  ti. 
**  Item,  pur  la  &isure  d'un  Signet  d'or  pur  le  Secretaire,  xiii.  §• 
"  iiii.  d."     The  Petitioner  concluded  by  praying  for  payment  of 
the  sums  due  to  her.     Rot.  Pari.,  voL  iv.  p.  312  a. 
Among  the  effects  of  Henry  the  Fifth  were  four  gold  Signets,  some  of 
which  were  ornamented  with  precious  stones ;  but  these  were  probably 
rings  with  seals  engraved  with  devices,  and  not  the  Signet  used  for  War* 
rants  and  Letters  by  his  Secretary.    Rot  Pari.,  2  Hen.  VI.  vol.  iv.  p.  21 5i 


PREFACE.  cxlix 

the  Kealm.  and  whilst  none  has  ever  been  paid  to  "^"JJ  Great 

.  ^        .  Seal. 

custody  of  the  Crown,  even  though  it  be  the  peculiar 
emblem  of  Sovereignty,  and  is,  metaphorically,  the 
representative  of  Monarchical  authority,  the  Great 
Seal  has  very  rarely  been  placed  by  the  King  in 
the  hands  of  his  Chancellor,  or  in  those  of  any 
other  person,  even  for  a  single  day,  without  the  fact 
being  recorded. 

Although  the  materials  for  writing  a  History 
of  the  Great  Seal  are  abundant  and  authentic, 
there  are  many  curious  particulars  respecting  it 
which  have  not  been  collected;  much  less  have 
the  deductions  been  drawn  from  them,  in  illus- 
tration of  Constitutional  questions,  of  which  they 
are  susceptible.  This  circumstance  is  in  itself 
remarkable;  but  it  becomes  still  more  extraordi- 
nary when  it  is  remembered  that  the  functions  of 
the  Great  Seal,  and  of  its  Keepers,  have  been 
treated  of  by  Coke  and  Selden ;  and  that  the  in- 
defatigable Prynne  has  omitted  to  notice  many  of 
the  &cts  alluded  to,  although  his  learned  tract  on 
the  subject  was  thought  worthy  of  being  printed 
by  order  of  the  House  of  Commons. 

The  following  observations  will,  therefore,  it 
is  hoped,  in  some  degree  at  least,  supply  this 
deficiency  in  Legal  literature. 

The  Great  Seal  has  always  been  spoken  of, 
as  if  it  were  of  that  integral  and  individual  nature 
that  it  did  not  admit  of  a  co-existent  instrument 
capable  of  performing  its  functions ;  as  if  it  were 
inseparable  from  the  person  of  the  King,  or  of  his 

k  3 


d  PREFACE. 

The  Great  Chancellor,  Lord  Keeper,  or  other  persons  en- 
trusted with  it ;  and  as  if  its  name  had  never  been 
given  to  any  other  of  the  King's  Seals.  It  has 
also  been  supposed  that  the  Great  Seal  could  not 
be  used  except  by  the  hands  of  the  Chancellor, 
Lord  Keeper,  or  Commissioners,  so  as  to  ensure 
a  Ministerial  responsibility  that  it  would  not  be 
affixed  to  any  instrument  of  an  illegal  or  uncon-r 
stitutional  description. 

From  the  following  facts,  it  is,  however,  un- 
questionable, that  the  Great  Seal  has  neither  always 
accompanied  the  King  when  he  went  out  of  the 
Realm,  nor  been  left  in  the  possession  of  the  Chan- 
cellor, Lord  Keeper,  or  Commissioners  during  his 
absence ;  that  it  has  occasionally  been  taken  with 
the  King  or  left  in  his  Treasury,  and  that  anothen 
Seal  was   created  for   the  affairs  of  the  Country, 
whilst  the  original  Great  Seal  was  taken  abroad,  or 
its  use  suspended,  in  consequence  of  the  King's 
absence ;  that  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Third, 
this  temporary   Seal  also   bore   the  name  of  the 
"  Great  Seal ;"  that  in  the  time  of  Henry  the  Sixth 
there  were  no  less  than  three  Seals  which  were  so 
designated  j  tjiat  on  many  occasions  the  Great  Seal 
was  taken  from  the  Chancellor  by  the  King,  and 
affixed  to  instruments  which,  it  is  presumed,  that 
Officer  had  refused  to  seal,  the  Seal  being  restored 
to  him  as  soon  as  such  instruments  were  executed  ; 
and,  that  as  well  in  reference  to  these  facts  as  to 
others,  many  erroneous  opinions  have  prevailed  in 
relation    to   the  Great   Seal,   tending,   in  various 


PREFACE.  cli 

ways,  to  shew   the  extreme  absurdity   of  making  The  Great 
ancient  usages  the  standard  of  propriety  and  right 
in  relation  to  the  wishes,  feelings,  and  necessities 
of  the  present  age. 

Except  notices  of  the  delivery  of  the  Great  John, 
Seal  to  the  Chancellor  in  the  reign  of  King 
John^,  and  the  statement  of  the  King  in  1213, 
that  he  had  sealed  his  Letter  to  the  Archdeacon  of 
Durham,  and  another  person,  (directing  them  in 
what  manner  to  dispose  of  his  hounds,)  with  his 
Private  Seal,  because  his  Great  Seal  was  not  with 
him%  the  earliest  Record  respecting  it,  which  has 
been  printed,  is  in  the  3rd  of  Henry  the  Third.  Heniy  in. 
It  was  then  provided  by  the  Common  Council  of 
the  Realm,  that  no  Charter  or  Letters  Patent  of  con- 
firmation, alienation,  sale,  or  grant,  or  of  any  thing 
granted  in  perpetuity,  should  be  sealed  with  the 
King's  Great  Seal  until  he  became  of  age ;  and  that 
if  any  such  were  sealed  with  that  Seal  they  should 
be  void ;  from  which  time,  according  to  the  words 
of  the  Record,  that  "King's  Seal  began  to  run."  ^ 

'  In  October,  7  John,  1205,  the  King  granted  his  Chancery,  with  all 
its  appurtenances,  to  Walter  de  Grai,  for  the  sum  of  5,000  marks,  to 
libld  the  same  so  long  as  he  might  live.  (Rot.  Fine,  7  John,  m.  10  d. 
Carte  Antiquse  in  Turr.  London.  B.  B.  Rot  22.)  In  the  31st  Hen.  I., 
Geoffrey,  the  King's  Chancellor,  paid  a  fine  of  ^3,006  ISs.  Aed,  for  the 
Seal.     Rot  Pipe,  eod.  ann. 

^  Rot  Claus.,  15  John.  Baker's  History  of  Northamptonshire,  vol.ii. 
p.  82. 

3  «  Primae  Literaa  Novi  Sigilli  Domini  Regis  de  Cartis  vel  Literi.«^ 
**•  Patentibus  non  faeiendis.  £t  hie  incepit  Sigillum  Domini  Regis 
«  currere."  Rot.  Pat.  3  Hen.  III.  m.  6 ;  Madox's  History  of  the  Exche- 
quer, voL  i.  p.  68. 

k  4 


clii  PREFACE. 

T.IE  Great  In  June,  16  Hen.  III.  1232,  the  King  granted 

oJEAI*»  _ 

to  "  Ralph  Bishop  of  Chichester,  Chancellor,  the 
"  Chancery  of  England  during  the  whole  tenn  of 
"  his  life,  with  all  the  appurtenances,  liberties,  and 
"  free  customs  to  the  aforesaid  Chancery  pertain- 
"  ing;"  and  by  another  Charter  of  the  same  date, 
"  the  custody  of  our  Seal  during  the  whole  term 
"  of  his  life,  with  all  appurtenances,  liberties,  and 
*'  customs  to  the  aforesaid  custody  pertaining,  so 
"  that  he  may  bear  and  keep  the  said  Seal  in  his 
"  own  person  so  long  as  he  will,  or  by  any  discreet, 
"  sufficient,  and  fit  Deputy,  whom  he  may  appoint, 
"  which  said  Deputy  shall  do  fealty  to  us  for  his 
"  faithful  service,  faithfully  keeping  our  Seal  in  its 
"  place,  before  he  receive  the  custody  of  the  said 
"  Seal ;  and  if  it  happen  that  the  same  Deputy  die, 
"  or  change  his  life,  or  for  reasonable  cause  be 
"  removed  by  us  or  by  the  said  Chancellor,  or  if 
"  the  said  Deputy  decline  longer  to  bear  the  said 
"  Seal,  the  said  Chancellor  shall  substitute,  in  the 
"  place  of  such  Deputy,  another  discreet,  sufficient, 
"  and  fit  person,  so  that  he  do  fealty  to  us  for  his 
"  faithful  service,  faithfully  keeping  the  aforesaid 
"  Seal  in  its  place,  before  he  undertake  the  cus- 
"  tody  of  the  aforesaid  Seal,  as  is  aforesaid."^ 
One  of  the  grievances  of  which  the  Peers  and 
other  Magnates  complained,  in  a  Council  held  at 
London  in  1244,  was  that,  by  default  of  the  Chan-* 

cellor.  Writs  had  been  granted  contrary  to  justice. 

-■■■■-■■- 

J  Rot.  Glaus.,  16  Hen.  III. 


JPRCFACC*  cliii 

They,  therefore,  requested  that  such  grants  should  The  Great 
be  entirely  revoked ;  and  that  if,  upon  any  occa* 
sion,  the  King  should  take  his  Seal  away  from  the 
Chancellor,  whatever  might  be  sealed  with  it  should 
be  considered  void  and  of  none  eflfect.^ 

Entries  occur  on  the  Patent  Rolls  of  the  delivery 
of  the  King's  Seal  to  a  Gustos  or  Keeper  in  the 
31st,  32nd,  and  33rd  of  Henry  the  Third  ^;  and 
in  August,  in  the  37th  year  of  that  reign,  when  the 
King  went  into  Gascony,  he  appointed  the  Queen 
10  be  Guardian  of  the  Realm,  with  the  assistance 
of  the  Earl  of  Cornwall,  on  which  occasion  the 
Great  Seal  was  placed  in  her  custody  under  the 
King's  Privy  Seal,  and  the  Seals  of  the  said 
Earl  and  others  of  the  Council,  with  this  pro- 
viso, that  if  any  act  injurious  to  the  rights  of 
the  Crown  should  be  sealed  with  any  other  Seal, 
during  the  King's  absence,  it  should  be  utterly 
void.^  The  Seal  of  the  Exchequer  was  ordered 
to  be  substituted  for  the  Great  Seal  until  the 
King's  return/  On  the  5th  of  January,  in  the 
39th  Hen.  HI.  1255,  the  King's  Seal  was  restored  to 


1  Matthew  Paris,  p,  432. 

^  Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequer,  vol.  i.  p.  68  ;  Rot.  Pat, 
31  Hen.  HI.  m.  2 ;  38  Hen.  Jll.  m.  3.  The  Seal  is  called  in  those 
Records  "  Sigillum  nostrum." 

*  Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequer,  vol.  i.  pp.  68,  69 ;  Rot  Pat, 
37  Hen.  HI.  m.  6.  and  m.  8« 

.  "*  Madox's  History    of    the    Exchequer,    vol.  L   p.  69 ;    Rot  Pat, 
37  Hen.  III.  m.  5. 


cliv  PREFACE. 

Thb  Grkat  him,  and  he  delivered  it  to  Henry  de  Wengham 

to  keep  and  use  ^;  and  on  the  14th  of  the  same 
month,  the    Seal   which    the   King  had  used  in 
Gascony  was  deposited  in  the  Treasury.^     Several 
other  memoranda   occur    of  the  transfer   of  the 
Great   Seal    to    various    Chancellors    or   Custodes 
during  Henry  the  Third's  reign ;  but  only  one  of 
them  is  deserving  of  attention.     In  May,  in    the 
49th  Hen.  III.    1265,  the  Chancellor   surrendered 
the  King's  Seal,  in  his  presence,  to  the  Keeper  of 
the    Wardrobe,   who  was   to   retain   it    until   the 
Chancellor's  return,  and  he  was  to  use  it  in  the 
following  manner  :  It  was  to  be  secured  in  a  purse 
under  the  Seals  of  one,  two,  or  three  other  persons. 
When  it  was  taken  out,  the  Custos  was   to   seal 
Writs  of  Course   in   the   presence  of  the  person 
under  whose  Seal  it  was  laid  up,  or  in  his  absence, 
if  he   did   not   choose   to   attend;    but  Writs   of 
Precept  were  only  to  be  sealed  in  the  presence, 
and  with   the  assent   of  such  person ;  and  when 
Writs   either  of    Course  or  Precept  were  sealed, 
the  King's  Seal  was  to  be  again  sealed  up,  under 
the  Seal   of  one  of  the  said  three  persons,    and 
replaced   in   the  Wardrobe   until   the   Chancellor 
returned.^ 

1  M adox's    History    of  the    Exchequer,    vol.  L  p.  70 ;    Rot    Pat, 
39  Hen.  III.  m.  5. 

2  Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequeri  vol  i.  p.  70 ;  Memor.,  39  Hen.  Ill, 
rot  6  b  ;  Hilar.  Communia,  Ibid. 

8  Madox's    History    of    the    Exchequer,    vol.  i..  p.  71  ;    Rot    PaW 
49  Hen.  III.  m.  16. 


PREFACE,  clv 

It  also  appears  to  have  been  then  the  custom  The  Grfat 
jfot:  the  Chancellor  to  place  the  Seal  in  other  hands 
whenever  he  went  out  of  the  Kingdom,  and  even 
when  he  went  to  any  place  very  distant  from  the 
metrqx>Iis.  Instances  of  this  practice  took  place 
in  the  6th  and  1 1th  of  Edward  the  First  ^;  but  when 
that  Sovereign  left  the  Kealm,  he,  like  his  imme* 
diate  predecessor  and  successors,  either  took  the  ■ 

<jreat  Seal  with  him,  or  more  usually  caused  it  to 
be  deposited  in  the  Treasury  or  Wardrobe  until 
his  return  ;  and  another  Seal  was  made  for  sealing 
Judicial  instruments  in  his  absence.  Thus,  in 
March,  26  Edw.  I.  1298,  the  Chancellor  sent  the 
5eal^  which  had  been  used  in  England  whilst 
the  King  was  in  Flanders,  (during  which  time 
his  son  Edward  had  tested  all  Writs  under 
the  said  Seal,)  to  be  kept  in  the  Treasury.^  In 
August  1 302,  the  Great  Seal  was  again  entrusted 
to  a  Custos,  to  be  kept  under  the  Seals  of 
three  other  persons  until  a  Chancellor  was  ap- 
pointed, which  did  not  happen  until  the  30th  of 
September ;  but  on  the  Chancellor's  going  abroad, 
in  November  following,  he  restored  the  Great  Seal 
to  the  King,  when  it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of 


1  Madox^s  History  of  the  Exchequer^  voL  L  p.  71. 

3  Madox  (voL  i.  p.  71)  erroneously  callfl  that  Seal  the  "  Great  Seal,** 

-which  is  not  only  at  variance  with  the  Record,  wherein  it  is  merely  called 

*^  Sigillnm  Domini  Regis  quo  utebatur  in  regno  Angliae  dum  Rex  erat 

'^  in  partibus  Flandriee/'  &C.,  but  it  is  proved  not  to  have  been  the  Great 

Seal  by  a  Record  of  the  reign  of  Edward  IL     Vide  p.  clxii,  postecu 

3  Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequer,  vol.  i.  pp.  71,  72;  Hil.  Com- 
fflonia,  25  &  26  Edw.  L  rot.  57  a. 


glvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  a  Custos,  as  before.*  In  the  35th  Edw.  L,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  death  of  the  Chancellor,  a  Writ 
of  Privy  Seal  was  sent  from  Carlisle,  to  the  Barons 
and  Treasurer  of  the  Exchequer,  together  with  the 
Great  Seal,  commanding  them  to  deliver  the  latter 
to  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  to  receive  his  oath, 
the  King  having  appointed  him  Chancellor.^ 

Edward  IL  The   notices   of  the   Great   Seal,   during  the 

reign  of  Edward  the  Second,  are  very  numerous  ^; 
but  those  only  will  be  referred  to  which  throw  light 
upon  its  history. 

On  the  21st  of  January  1308,  the  Bishop  of 
Chichester,  the  Chancellor,  delivered  the  Great 
Seal  to  the  King  at  Dover,  who  gave  it  to  Wil- 
liam de  Melton,  to  take  with  him  in  the  Wardrobe 
to  parts  beyond  the  seas.  The  King  then  deli- 
vered to  the  said  Chancellor  another  Seal,  (which 
had  been  newly  made  at  London,)  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Realm  whilst  the  King  should  be 
abroad.*  On  the  7th  of  February  in  the  same 
year,  Edward  returned  from  Boulogne,  where  he 
had  married  Isabella  of  France,  and  landed  at 
Dover ;  and  because  his  Great  Seal,  which  had 
been  taken  with  him  beyond  the  sea,  was  then 

1  Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequer,  vol.  i.  pp,  72,  7S ;  Rot  Claii&, 
80  Edw.  I.  m.  8  d.  m.  6  d.  m.  5  d. 

2  Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequer,  voL  L  pp.  73, 74 ;  Pas,  Com- 
munia,  35  Edw.  I.  rot  46  a. 

3  All  the  Records  relating  to  the  Great  Seal  in  the  reign  of  Edward 
the  Second  are  printed  in  the  Appendix  to  the  Parliamentary  Writs. 

4  Rot  Claus.,  1  Edw.  IL  m.  11 ;  Parliamentary  Writs,  voL  iL  div.  ii. 
app.  p.  9. 


PREFACE.  civil 

in  the  custody  of  the  Keeper  of  the  Wardrobe,  The  Great 
who  was  not  able  to  reach  Dover  on  the  day  the 
King  landed,  no  Writs  were  sealed  until  the  fol- 
lowing Friday,  the  9th  of  February,  when  the 
Chancellor  restored  to  the  King  at  Dover  the  Seal 
which  had  been  used  in  England  whilst  his  Majesty 
was  abroad,  and  which  he  consigned  to  the  care  of 
William  de  Melton,  Comptroller  of  the  Wardrobe ; 
and  immediately  afterwards  the  King,  with  his 
own  hand,  delivered  the  original  Great  Seal  to  the 
Chancellor.^ 

On  the  1 5th  of  March  in  the  same  year,  Wil- 
liam de  Melton,  the  King's  Secretary,  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  Remembrancer  of  the  Exchequer 
at  Westminster  the  King's  Small  SeaP,  which  Peter 
de  Gaveston,  Earl  of  Cornwall,  had  used  as  Custos 
of  the  Bealm,  for  sealing  Writs  whilst  the  King  was 
at  Boulogne ;  and  the  Remembrancer  immediately' 
delivered  the  said  Seal  to  two  of  the  Clerks  of 
the  Treasury,  to  be  kept  therein,^ 

The  next  record  relating  to  the  Great  Seal  is 
of  some  interest  Pursuant  to  the  King's  verbal 
commands,  the  Chancellor  sent  his  Majesty  at 
Langley,  on  the    9th   of  June  1308,  the   Great 

1  Parliamentary  WritSi  voL  iU  div.  ii.  app.  p.  9 ;  Rot.  Fin.,  1  Edw.  II. 
hl  9. 

2  **  Parvnm  SigOlum  RegiB,**  evidently  the  Small  Seal  used  instead  of 
the  Great  Seal  during  the  King's  absence,  which  is  so  often  mentioned ; 
and  not  as  the  Record  is  docketed,  and  as  the  Editor  of  the  Parliamentary 
Writs  has  rendered  it,  « the  Privy  SeaL" 

^  Parliamentary  Writs,  vol.  ii.  div,  ii.  app.  p.  11 ;  Rot.  Glaus.,  1  Edw.  II* 
2a.7d. 


clviii  PREFACE. 

The  Great  Seal  by  the   Keeper   of  the  Rolk  of  Chancery; 

who  returned  it  to  the  Chancellor  on  the  next 
day.  On  the  15th  of  the  same  month,  at  the 
New  Temple,  London,  the  Bishop  elect  of  Win- 
chester, the  Treasurer,  ordered  the  Chancellor  (pur- 
suant, as  he  said,  to  the  verbal  commands  which 
he  had  received  from  the  King,)  to  send  the  Great 
Seal  to  Windsor  by  Adam  de  Osgodby,  which  was 
accordingly  done ;  and  it  remained  with  the  King 
until  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  when  it  was 
again  restored  to  the  Chancellor  at  London.^  It 
thus  appears  that  the  King  was  accustomed  to 
send  for,  and  to  use  the  Great  Seal,  in  the  absence 
of  the  Chancellor  or  Keeper,  and  that  he  retained 
it  in  his  own  hands,  on  this  occasion,  so  long  as 
five  days.  These  memoranda  are  supposed  to 
have  been  "  intended  as  evidence  that  the  Chan- 
«  cellor  was  not  to  be  con«idered  as  responsible  for 
*^  Gaveston's  patent  of  the  Lieutenancy  of  Ireland, 
*^  which  was  sealed  at  £he  express  command  of  the 
•^  King  on  the  16th  of  Junis,  by  which  the  Chan- 
"  cellor  is  said  to  have  evaded  the  sentence  which 
"  had  been  pronounced  in  Parliament"^;  and  it 
might  afford  much  curious  information  if  every 
Charter  and  Patent  which  has  been  passed,  whilst 
the  Great  Seal  was  in  the  King's  own  hands,  and 
by  his  special  commands,  were  examined. 


1  Parliamentary  Writs,  voL  ii.  (fiv.  ii.  app.  p.  14 ;  Rot.  Clau&^  1  Edw.II. 
m.  3  d. 
*  Parliamentary  Writs,  vol.  ii,  div.  i.  app.  p.  18,  n. 


PREFACE.  cKX 

In  December  1311,  Osgodby,  and  tw6  other  ThsGrbax 
persons,   were  commanded  by  Letters  under  the 
Privy  Seal,  to  convey  the  King's  Seal  to  the  King 
at  Windsor  Park  on  the  following  day,  which  they 
accordingly  did  ;  and  on  the  20th  of  January  1312, 
they  were  directed  by  the  King  to  perform  daily, 
in  the  Church  of  our  Lady  without  the  Castle  of 
Yort,  that    which   appertained    to   the    office  of 
Chancellor,^     On  the  4th   of  May   following,  the 
Great  Seal  was  conveyed  by  the  Steward  of  the 
Household,    from  Newcastle   upon   Tyne,   to   the 
Kmg  at  Tynemouth;  and  it  was  again  delivered 
to  Osgodby,  at  York,   on   the  17th  of  the   same 
month.^     On  the  5th  of  October,  the  Bishop  of 
Worcester  was  directed    to   receive   and  use    the 
Great  Seal,  causing   an  entry  of  such  receipt   to 
be  made  on  the  EoUs  of  Chancery.     The  Seal  was, 
accordingly,  delivered  to  him  at  Westminster  on 
the  day  following^;    and   on  the  17th    of  April 
1313,  the  Bishop  of  Worcester  went  from  Windsor 
on  a  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury,  taking  with  him 
the  Great  Seal,  under  the  seals  of  the  Clerks  in 
Chancery/     The  King  having  sailed  from  Dover 
for  France  on  the  23rd  of  May  1313,  he  left  the 

1  Parliamentary  Writs,  voL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  43  ;  Rot  Glaus.,  5  Edw.  II. 
iiLl6d. 

2  Parliameiitarj  Writs,  toL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  50 ;  Roi  Glaus.,  5  Edw.  II. 
iB.5d. 

^  Pariiamentary  Writs,  toL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  56 ;  Rot  Glaus.,  6  Edw.II* 
iR.26d. 

*  Parliamentary  Writs,  voL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  61 ;  Rot  Glaus.,  6  Edw.  II« 
1D.5  d. 


clx  PREFACE. 

The  Great  Great  Seal  in  the  custody  of  the  Bishop  of  Wor- 
cester, under  the  Seals  of  the  three  Clerks  in 
cery.^ 

Edward  returned  to  England  on  the  16th  of 
July  following  *,  and  in  December  1313,  went  on 
a  pilgrimage  to  Boulogne,  and  was  out  of  the 
Realm  .  for  eight  days,  during  which  time  the 
Great  Seal  remained  in  the  custody  of  the  Arch- 
bishop elect  of  Canterbury,  who  had  charge  of  it 
previously,  when  Bishop  of  Worcester.® 

On  the  1st  of  April  1314,  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  who  had  the  custody  of  the  Great  Seal, 
under  the  Seals  of  Osgodby  and  two  other  Clerks 
in  Chancery,  delivered  it  to  them,  in  the  King's 
presence,  in  the  Abbey  at  St.  Alban's,  Edward 
being  then  on  his  route  to  Scotland,  stating  it 
was  his  Majesty's  pleasure  that  the  same  should 
be  deposited  in  a  certain  chamber  in  the  Tower 
of  London,  under  the  Seals  of  three  persons 
named,  one  of  whom  was  to  reside  in  that  cham- 
ber until  the  King  otherwise  commanded;  and 
they  were  conjointly  directed  to  perform  faith- 
fully the  business  of  the  said  SeaL  On  the  4th 
of  that  month,  the  Great  Seal  was  conveyed  to 
London  by  William  de  Ayremynne,  and  after 
Writs  had  been  sealed  with  it,  it  was  delivered. 


1  Parliamentaxy  Writs,  vol.  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  63 ;  Rot  Glaus.,  6  Edw.  II. 
m.  4  d. 

2  Parliamentary  Writs,  voL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  64 ;  Rot.  Glaus.,  7  Edw-  IF . 
m.  28  d. 

3  Parliamentary  Writs,  vol.  ii,  div.  ii.  app.  p.  71. 


PREFACE.  clxi 

under  the  seals  of  the  said  three  persons,  to  the  The  Great 
Archbishop,  who,  on  the   following  day,  went  to 
his  manor  of  Otford.^ 

On  the  8th  of  May  1317,  the  Chancellor  being 
about  to  proceed  to  Canterbury,  the  King,  by  writ 
of  Privy  Seal,  ordered  that  during  his  absence 
firom  London  he  should  place  the  Chancery  and 
the  Great  Seal  in  the  custody  of  two  persons, 
named  Ayremynne  and  Bardelby.  The  Seal  was> 
consequently,  deUvered  to  them  on  the  11th,  and 
was  re-delivered  by  them  to  the  Chancellor  on  his 
return  to  London,  on  the  18th  of  the  same  month.^ 
The  Chancellor  being  about  to  make  a  pilgrimage 
to  Canterbury,  he  was  directed,  on  the  6th  of 
February  1318,  by  writ  of  Privy  Seal,  to  leave 
"  Our  Seal "  in  the  custody  of  Master  Henry  de 
Qif,  under  the  Seals  of  three  persons,  all,  or  two, 
of  whom  were  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office 
of  Chancellor  until  his  return.  The  Seal  was  re- 
stored to  the  Chancellor  on  his  arrival  in  London 
on  the  19th  of  the  same  month,* 


1  Parliamentary  Writs,  yoL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  74. 

2  J&uLp.  112;  Rot  Glaus.,  10  Edw.II.  m.  8  d. 

3  Parliamentary  Writs,  voLii.  div.  iL  app.  p.  121;  Rot  Glaus.,  1 1  Edw.  II. 
m.  11  d.  Instances  of  the  Chancellor  leaving  the  Great  Seal  in  the 
custody  of  others  when  going  to  a  distant  part  of  the  Kingdom  also 
occurred  on  the  29th  of  March,  II  Edw.IL  1318;  on  the  13th  of  July 
in  the  same  year;  on  the  1st  of  December,  13  Edw.II.  1319;  on  the 
8th  of  August,  14  Edw.II.  1320 ;  on  the  2nd  of  September,  16  Edw.  II. 
1322  ;  on  the  30th  of  December  in  the  same  year ;  and  on  the  16th  of 
November,  18  Edw.  IL  1324.  Vide  Parliamentary  Writs,  vol.  ii.  div.  ik 
pp.  123-124,  144, 150,  217,  224, 269. 

VOL,  VI,  1 


The  Great  A  very  remarkable  proceeding   occurred  in 

^""^  October  1319.  The  King,  being  then  at  York, 
commanded  John  de  Hothum  Bishop  of  Ely,  and 
Chancellor,  not  to  execute  any  mandate  under 
the  Great  Seal  in  consequence  of  the  messages  of 
any  person,  of  whatever  rank^  who  might  come 
to  him  in  his  Majesty's  name,  unless  he  had  ver- 
bally, or  by  Letters  under  the  Privy  Seal,  declared 
his  pleasure  to  him  thereupon.^  On  the  23rd  of 
January  1 320,  the  Chancellor  delivered  the  Great 
Seal  to  the  King,  at  York,  who  with  his  own  hands 
placed  it  at  the  head  of  his  bed,  but  subsequently 
entrusted  it  to  three  Clerks  in  Chancery ;  and  on 
the  following  day,  the  Bishop  of  Norwich,  who  had 
been  appointed  Chancellor  in  full  Parliament^ 
received  it  from  the  King.^ 

The  next  records  on  the  subject  particularly 
deserve  attention.  On  the  4th  of  June,  13  Edw.  II. 
1320,  the  King  being  in  his  green  chamber  in  his 
palace  of  Westminster,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
Chancellor,  and  other  personages,  caused  to  be 
brought  before  him  two  small  Seals,  the  one  of 
the  time  of  King  Edward  his  father,  which  was  used 
in  England  whilst  that  monarch  was  in  Glanders  *, 


1  Parliamentary  Writs,  vol.ii.diy.  ii.app.  p.  143;  Rot  ClauB^  13  £dw«  11. 
m.  16  d. 

2  His  appointment  is  not  noticed  on  the  Rolls  of  Parliament 

3  Parliamentary  Writs,  voL  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  144 ;  Rot  Glaus.,  J  3  Ed,  II. 
m.  9  d. 

^  VUk  p»  civ,  antea. 


PREFACE.  clxiii 

and  the  other,  which  was  used  in  England  when  he  The  Great 
(Edward  the  Second)  was  lately  in  France  ;  and  the 
King  caused  the  said  small  Seal  of  the  time  of  his 
&ther  to  be  broken  in  his  presence,  and  gave  the 
pieces  of  silver  to  the  Bishop  of  Norwich,  as  the 
fee  of  the  Chancellor ;  and  the  other  small  Seal,. 
of  bis  own  time,  he  deposited  in  a  purse  under 
the  Qiancellor's  seal.  At  the  same  time,  the 
Eng  being  about  to  proceed  into  France  to  do 
homage  for  the  Duchy  of  Aquitaine,  commanded 
that  his  Great  Seal  should  remain  in  some  secure 
place,  whilst  he  continued  abroad,  and  that  in  the 
meantime  the  small  Seal  should  suffice  for  the 
government  of  the  Realm.  Edward  commenced 
his  journey  towards  the  coast  on  the  following  day ; 
and  on  the  9th  of  the  same  month,  the  Chancellor,, 
who  was  about  to  accompany  him,  went  to  the 
residence  of  the  Bishop  of  Exeter,  the  Treasurer^ 
and  there,  after  sealing  Writs,  placed  the  Great  Seal 
in  a  purse,  and  sealed  it  with  his  own  Seal,  to  be 
conveyed  to  the  King  forthwith.  He  afterwards- 
deKvered  the  9mall  Seal,  sealed  with  his  own 
Seal,  to  three  Clerks  of  the  Chancery ;  and  it 
was  agreed  that  so  long  as  the  King  was  in 
England,  all  Writs  should  issue  under  his  teste^ 
and  during  his  absence,  under  the  teste  of  Aymer 
de  Valence  Earl  of  Pembroke,  as  Custos  of  the 
Kingdom.  The  King  afterwards  sent  a  Writ  of 
Privy  Seal  to  the  Keepers  of  the  small  Seal,  in- 
forming them  that  he  had  sailed  on  the  19th  of 
June,  and  directing,  that,  until  his  return.  Writs 

1  2 


clxiv  PREFACE. 

The  Great  should  be  issued  under  the  teste  of  the  Gustos  of 

the  Realm.^ 

On  the  22nd  of  July,  14  Edw.  IL  1320,  a 
Writ  of  Privy  Seal  was  addressed  to  the  Keepers 
of  "  Our  Seal,"  informing  them  that  the  King  had 
arrived  at  Dover  on  that  day,  and  commanding 
them  no  longer  to  use  the  said  smaU  Seal.  It  was, 
accordingly,  delivered  by  them  to  the  Bishop  of 
Norwich,  the  Chancellor,  on  the  next  day;  and 
their  Seals  being  taken  off,  he  sealed  up  the  purse 
in  which  it  was  contained,  and  delivered  it  to  the 
Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer,  to  be  kept  in  the 
Treasury.^  On  the  24th  of  July  1321,  Ayremynne, 
Keeper  of  the  Rolls  of  Chancery,  delivered  the 
Great  Seal  to  the  King  himself  at  Westminster, 
under  the  Seals  of  the  three  Clerks  of  the  Chan- 
cery ;  whereupon  the  King  received  the  Great  Seal 
with  his  own  hands,  and  delivered  it  to  Richard 
Camel,  to  be  conveyed  to  the  Queen,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  said  William,  commanding  her  to  keep 
the  same  in  her  custody ;  and  that  every  day,  when 
Ayremynne  should  repair  to  her  to  open  the  Great 
Seal  for  the  purpose  of  sealing,  she  should  deliver 
it  to  him,  and  after  the  sealing,  receive  it  again. 
'  On  the  24th  of  the  following  month,  the  King, 
being  in  the  Tower  of  London,  and  the  said 
Seal   being  then  deposited  in   the  Wardrobe,  he 

1  Parliamentaiy    .Writs,    toL  iL    div,  ii*  app.  p.  146  ;   Rot   Claus^ 
ISEdw.IL  m.4d. 

2  Parliamentary    Writs,    voLii.    div.iL   app.   p.  150;    Rot    Claus^ 
U  Edw.  IK  m.  26  d 


PREFACE.  clxv 

commanded  it  to  be  delivered  into  Ayremynne^s  The  Great 
custody.  It  was,  consequently,  entrusted  to  him, 
^nd  remained  in  his  charge,  under  the  Seals  of 
the  two  other  Clerks,  until  the  23rd  of  October, 
when,  by  the  King's  command,  he  delivered  it  to 
the  Queen,  at  Rochester,  by  whom  it  was  given 
to  the  Lady  Elizabeth  de  Montibus,  to  be  enclosed 
in  a  casket ;  and  from  that  day  Ayremynne  fetched 
the  Great  Seal  from  the  Queen  whenever  he  wanted 
it  for  sealing,  and  afterwards  returned  it  to  her,  to 
be  kept  under  his  own  Seals,  and  the  Seals  of  the 
said  Clerks.  The  Great  Seal  was  subsequently 
entrusted  by  the  King,  in  whose  possession  it  was 
on  the  15th  of  November,  to  various  persons ;  but 
it  was  restored  to  his  Majesty  on  the  14th  of  De- 
cember, and  remained  in  his  hands  until  the  24th  of 
January  1322,  on  which  day  he  re-delivered  it,  at 
Shrewsbury,  to  Ayremynne,  by  whom  it  was  re- 
tained until  the  3rd  of  March,  when  it  was  given 
back  to  the  King/  By  Writ  of  Privy  Seal,  tested 
on  the  4th  of  June  1323,  Ayremynne,  and  the  two 
other  Clerks  in  Chancery,  were  commanded  to  re- 
ceive the  Great  Seal  from  the  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
the  Chancellor,  in  consequence  of  the  King  having 
been  informed  of  the  Bishop's  illness ;  and  they 
were  directed  to  keep  it  in  the  same  manner  as 
they  had  previously  done.^     On  the  8th  of  August, 


1  Pailiamentary  Writs,  ToLii.  div.ii,  app.p.  163 ;  RotClaus.,  15  Edw.IL 

ID*  3^  d« 

»  Pftriiamentary  Writs,  vol.  ii.  div.  ii.  app.  p-  228 ;  Rot  Glaus.,  16  Edw.  II. 
iii.6d. 

1  3 


I 


clxvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  isEdw.  IL  1324,  Robert  de  Baldok,  Archdeacon 

Seal. 

of  Middlesex,  the  Chancellor,  having  obtained  the 
King's  permission  to  return  home  for  a  time,  for 
his.  recreation,  delivered  the  Great  Seal  to  the  King, 
in  Windsor  forest,  where  his  Majesty  then  was  for 
the  purpose  of  hunting ;  and  Edward,  with  his  own 
hand,  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day  delivered  the 
Great  Seal  to  Ayremynne,  who  was  then  the 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  to  perform  the  duties 
of  Chancellor;  and  it  was  to  be  kept  under  the 
seals  of  some  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Chancery.^ 

The  following  is,  however,  the  most  important 
of  the  records  relating  to  the  Great  Seal  in  the  reign 
of  Edward  the  Second.  On  the  26th  of  October 
1326,  Edward  having  gone  away  with  Hugh  le  De- 
spenser  the  younger,  and  other  notorious  enemies  of 
Queen  Isabel,  and  of  Edward  Duke  of  Acquitaine^, 
the  King's  eldest  son,  and  having  left  the  realm 
without  any  government,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin 
and  other  Prelates,  Earls,  Barons,  and  Knights, 
assembled  at  Bristol,  and  chose  Prince  Edward 
to  be  "  Custos"  of  the  Kingdom  whilst  his  father 
continued  absent.  On  the  same  day  the  Duke 
assumed  the  Government,  and  issued  the  necessary 
legal  proceedings  under  his  Privy  Seal,  which  was 
then  in  the  keeping  of  Robert  de  Wyvill  his  Clerk^ 
"  because  he  had  no  other  Seal  for  the  purpose^'* 


1  Parliamentary  Writs,  voLii.  div.  ii.  app.  p.  260 ;  RotClaus.,  28  Edw.  II. 
m.  38  d. 

2  Edward  the  Third  never  bore  the  title  of  Prince  of  Wales. 


PREFACE.  .  clxvii 

On  the  20th  of  November,  the  King  having  re-  The  Great 
turned,  the  Bishop  of  Hereford  was  sent  to  him 
on  behalf  of  the  Queen,  of  her  son  the  Duke  of 
Acquitaine,  and  of  the  Prelates  and  "Proceres," 
who  were  then  at  Hereford,   to  request  that  he 
would  command  those  things  to  be  done  with  the 
Great   Seal,   then  in   his   possession,  which  were 
necessary  for  the  conservation  of  the  peace,  and 
the  due  administration  of  justice.     To  this  message 
the  King,  who  was  at  Monmouth,  replied,  that  he 
would  send  his  Great  Seal  to  his  consort  and  son, 
that  tliey  might  cause  it  to  be  opened,  it  being 
then  under  his  Privy  Seal,  and  therewith  do,  not 
only  all  acts  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  the 
peace  and  the  administration  of  justice,  but  also  all 
matters  of  grace.     The  Great  Seal  was  accordingly 
sent  to  the  Queen  and  the  Duke,  at  Cirencester, 
and  was   by  them  delivered,  on  the  30th  of  No- 
vember, to  the  Bishop  of  Norwich,  in  whose  custody 
it  remained  until  the  4th  of  December,  on  which 
day  he  returned  it  to  the  Queen  and  the  Duke ; 
and  the  Seal  was  opened  from  time  to  time  for 
the  despatch  of  business,  and  after  being  used  was 
again  sealed  up  under  the  Bishop's  seal,  and  re- 
turned to  them.^ 

The  preceding  facts  prove  that  it  was  by  no 
means  the  universal  practice  for  the  Great  Seal  to 
remain  near  the  King's  own  person ;  but  a  change 

I  Parliamentary  Writs,  vol.  ii.   div.  ii.  part  i.    p.  349  ;   Rot.  Claus., 
20  Edw.  II.  m.  3  d. 

1  4 


clxviii  PREFACE. 

The  Great  evidently  took  place,  in  this  respect,  in  the  reign 

of  Edward  the  Third,     It  was  then  the  custom  for 

Edward  III.   the  Great  Seal  to  accompany  the  King  wherever 

he  went,  even  when  he  quitted  England,  whether 
he  was,  or  was  not,  attended  by  his  Chancellor, 
instead  of  its  being  deposited,  as  formerly,  in  the 
Treasury  until  his  return.  But  the  usage  was 
necessarily  continued  of  having  another  Seal,  which 
was  for  the  time  also  called  a  "  Great  Seal,'*  for 
sealing  judicial  instruments  during  his  Majesty's 
absence,  which  was  committed  to  the  Chancellor's 
custody,  instead  of  the  original  Great  Seal.  On 
the  King's  return,  however,  the  Great  Seal  was 
restored  to  the  Chancellor,  and  the  duplicate  was 
carefully  deposited  in  the  Treasury,  until  a  similar 
occasion  for  it  should  arise.  Thus,  the  Great 
Seal  seems,  in  the  fourteenth  century,  to  have 
been  considered  inseparable  from  the  person  of 
the  Sovereign,  which,  though  opposed  to  more 
ancient  usage,  nevertheless  agrees  with  the  state- 
ment of  Lord  Coke,  that  "  as  the  Great  Seal  is 
"  ^  Clavis  Regni,'  it  is  proper  that  the  King  should 
"  always  have  the  Key  of  his  Kingdom  about 
«  him."  ^ 


1  Stat.  28  Edw.  I.  cap.  v.  ^^  Et  dauter  part  le  Roy  voit  que  le 
<<  Chauncellor  et  les  Justices  de  son  bank  luy  suivent,"  &&;  upon 
which  Lord  Coke  remarks^  ^<  The  true  cause  wherefore  the  Chancellor 
<<  followed  the  King's « court  was,  that  the  Great  Seal  is  Clams  Regni^ 
«  and  in  the  custody  of  the  Chancellor,  and  meet  it  was  that  the  Kin^ 
<^  should  always  have  the  Key  of  his  Kingdom  about  him/'  &c  Second 
Institute,  pp.  551,  SS2* 


PREFACE.  clxix 

On  the  10th  of  July,  in  the  12th  Edw.  III.  The  Great 
1338,  a  Writ  was  issued  to  the  Sheriff  of  Kent j 
stating,  that  as  the  King  was  going  out  of  the 
Keabn,  and  would  take  his  Great  Seal  with  him,  he 
had  appointed  another  Seal  to  be  used  in  this 
<x>UDtiy  whilst  he  remained  abroad ;  and  that  the 
impression  of  such  Seal  might  be  generally  known, 
the  Sheriff  was  commanded  to  cause  it  to  be  ex- 
hibited and  declared  in  £ull  County  court.^ 

In  February  1340,  the  Sheriff  of  Kent  re- 
ceived a  similar  command  to  exhibit  impressions 
of  the  new  Great  Seal  and  Privy  Seal,  which  were 
then  made  in  consequence  of  Edward's  having  as- 
sumed the  title  of  King  of  France.*  On  the  1st  of 
March  following,  the  King  delivered  to  the  Keeper 
of  the  Rolls  (the  Chancellorship  being  vacant) 
a  Great  Seal  then  newly  made  for  the  government 
of  his  Eealm,  which  he  had  brought  with  him  from 
abroad,  and  which  was  to  be  kept  by  that  person, 
to  do  and  expedite  therewith  those  things  which 
should  be  required  in  that  behalf  for  the  King  and 
his  people^;  and  on  the  same  day  the  Keeper  of 
the  Bolls  surrendered  to  the  King  another  "  Great 
'^  Seal''  appointed  for  the  rule  of  the  Realm  of 
Fngland  during  the  King's  absence  abroad,  which 
had  been  in  his  custody,  and  which  his  Majesty 
gave  to  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  to  be  kept 
in  the  Wardrobe.^ 

Edward  the  Third  again  went  to  France  in 

>  Fcedera,  vol  v.  p.  63.  2  /bid.  p- 169.  » Ibid.  p.  171. 


clxx  PREFACE, 

TheGbbat  July  1345,  and  on  the  3rd  of  that  month,  being 
at  Sandwich  ready  to  embark,  the  Chancellor  came 
there,  and  delivered  to  him,  in  the  chamber  of 
Queen  Philippa,  a  Great  Seal  which  he  had  in 
his  custody  for  the  government  of  the  Realm  of 
England;  and  the  King  having  received  it,  de- 
livered to  the  Chancellor  another  Seal  for  the 
government  of  the  said  Realm  whilst  his  Majesty 
remained  abroad,  which  the  Chancellor  took  with 
him  to  London  ;  and  on  the  ensuing  Wednesday  he 
caused  divers  Charters,  Letters  Patent,  and  Writs 
to  be  sealed  therewith  at  Westminster.* 

The  next  notice  of  the  Great  Seal  was  in 
July  1346,  on  the  2nd  of  which  month  the  Chan- 
cellor, by  command  of  the  King,  who  was  then  in 
the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  about  to  sail  for  France, 
delivered  the  Great  Seal  appointed  for  the  govern- 
ment of  England,  whilst  the  King  was  within  the 
Realm,  to  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  in  the 
church  of  Fareham,  near  Porchester ;  and  the 
Chancellor  immediately  received  from  the  Keeper 
of  the  Privy  Seal  one  other^  the  King's  Great 
Seal,  appointed  for  the  rule  of  the  said  Realm 
whilst  the  King  was  abroad.^  The  Keeper  of  the 
Privy  Seal  appears  to  have  merely  received  the 
Great  Seal  on  this  occasion  for  the  purpose  of 
conveying  it  to  the  King. 

Immediately  before  Edward  sailed  for. France, 
in   October  1359,  the  Chancellor   sent  David  de 


Fcedera,  vol.  t,  p,  472.  2  jOnd.  p.  51 8, 


(4 


PREFACE.  clxxi 

WoUore,  the  Keeper  of  the   Rolls,  to  the  King  Thb  Great 

in  the  Isle  of  Thanet,  with  the  Great  Seal,  and     ^^^• 

a  certain   small    Seal   for  Thomas  the   King'd 

son,  which  he  should  use   as   Gustos   of  Eng-^ 

land  whilst  the  King  was  out  of  the  Realm, 

^^  which  the  said  Chancellor,  in  his  dwelling  at 

^  Southwark,  delivered  to  the  said  David,  to  be 

conveyed    to  the   King,  who  was  at  Sandwich 

on  his  passage  towards  France.     Which  Seals, 

"  being  so  received  by  the  King  from  the  said 

"  David,  he  delivered  the  aforesaid  Great  Seal  to 

"  John  de  Wynewyk,  Keeper  of  his   Privy  Seal, 

"  to  be  kept ;  and  the  other  small  Seal  to  John  de 

Rokyngham,  Clerk,  then  appointed  by  the  King 

to  bear  the  said  Seal.    And  by  his  Writ  of  Privy 

**  Seal   he    commanded  the   Chancellor   that  he 

^^  should  receive  from  the  King's  Treasurer  and 

'^  Chamberlains   one  other   Great  Seal    appointed 

^  for  the  oflSce  of  Chancellor  during  the  King's 

"  absence,   being  in    the    King's   Treasury,    and 

"  that  he    should    seal    therewith    the    Charters, 

Letters  Patent,  and  Writs  close,  under  the  King's 

testimony  whilst  he  should  be  in  the  Realm,  and 

under  the  testimony  of  the  said  Custos  after  the 

"   King's  embarkation  ;  which  the  Chancellor,  on 

^  JMTonday  the  14th  day  of  October,  received  from 

"  the  Treasurer  and  Chamberlains,  in  a  bag  sealed 

"  with  the  seal  of  Master  John  de  Offord,  formerly 

"  the  King's  Chancellor  ;  and  taking  the  bag  with 

**  him   to  the  marble  table  in  Westminster  Hall, 

"  there,  in  the  presence  of  the  aforesaid  David, 


clxxii  PREFACE. 

The  Grkat  *'  Keeper  of  the  Rolls  of  the  King's  Chancery,  and 

"  of  others,  caused  the  same  to  be  opened,  and 
*^  Charters,  Letters  Patent,  and  Writs  to  be  sealed 
^^  therewith ;  and  such  sealing  having  been  made, 
"  he  caused  the  said  Seal  to  be  replaced  in  the  said 
"  bag,  and  to  be  conveyed  to  his  dwelling.  And 
^^  afterwards,  on  the  feasts  of  Saint  Simon  and  Jude, 
"  to  wit,  the  28th  day  of  the  same  month  of 
^^  October,  the  King,  between  daybreak  and  sun- 
"  rise,  having  embarked  at  the  port  of  Sandwich, 
"  with  other  lords  and  nobles  then  being  with  him, 
"  in  a  ship  called  the  Philip  of  Dartmouth,  set  sail 
*^  from  thence  towards  the  town  of  Calais,  and 
^^  made  the  port  of  the  same  town  on  the  same 
"  day  about  the  hour  of  vespers."^ 

Edward  returned  to  England  on  the  18th  of 
May  1360 ;  and  having  arrived  at  Westminster  the 
next  day,  he  summoned  the  Chancellor  and  Trea- 
surer to  his  presence.  He  then  delivered  to  the 
Chancellor  his  Great  Seal  appointed  for  the  rule  of 
England,  which  he  had  caused  to  be  conveyed 
with  him  to  France,  inclosed  in  a  bag  sealed  with 
the  Privy  Seal;  and  on  the  following  day  the 
Chancellor  delivered  the  other  Great  Seal,  used  for 
the  sealing  of  Writs  during  the  King's  absence,  to 
the  Treasurer,  to  be  deposited  in  the  Treasury.^ 

The  last  record  of  the  King's  Seals  in  the  reign 
of  Edward  the  Third  to  which  it  is  necessary  to 
allude,  refers  to  the  Seals  used  in  all  his  Coiirts 


1  Fcedera,  voLvL  p.  Ul.  ^  aid.  p.  196. 


PREFACE^  clxxiii 

after  his  resumption  of  the  style  of  King  of  ^"  sbaZ^^ 
France  in  June  1369,  and  which  were  evidently 
the  same  Seals  as  had  been  used  during  the  time 
he  had  before  borne  that  title.  After  stating  the 
reason  for  again  adopting  the  title  of  King  of 
France,  the  memorandum  thus  proceeds  :  — 

^  Whereupon  the  now  King  of  England  and 
"  France   caused  to  be  brought   into  the  Chan- 
"  eery  all  his  Seals,  as  well  for  the  rule  of  Eng- 
"  land  as  for  the  places  of  either  Bench,  and  of 
"  the  Exchequer,  and  for  the  office  of  Privy  Seal, 

"  on  the   circumscription  whereof  was  engraven 

• 

^  Edwardus  Rex  Anglie  et  Francie,  sive  Francie 

"  ET  Anglie,  being  in  the  Treasury  of  the  said 

"  King,  by  William    de   Mulsho    and    John    de 

"  Newenham,  Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer  of 

"  the  said  King  of  England  and  France,  at  West- 

"  minster,  on  Monday  the  feast  of  St.  Barnabas  the 

"  Apostle,  to  wit,  the  11th  of  June  in  the  present 

"  year.     Whereupon  the  venerable  father,  William 

"  Bishop  of  Winchester,  the  Chancellor  of  the  said 

"  King,  delivered  two  Great  Seals,  each  of  them 

"  of  two  pieces,  on  one  of  which  was  engraven 

"  Rex    Anglie  et   Francie,    and   on    the   other 

*^  Rex  Francie  et  Anglie,  and  one  Seal  of  two 

"  pieces,  to  John  Knyvet,  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 

"  King's  Bench,  for  the  Writs  of  the  same  place ; 

^  and   another  Seal  of  two  pieces  to  Robert  de 

"  Thorp,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Common  Pleas,  for 

"  the  Writs  of  the  same  place  ';  and  a  certain  Seal 

"  of  two  pieces  to  Master  William  de  Askeby^ 


clxxiv  PREFACE. 

The  Great  «  Archdeacon  of  Northampton,  Chancellor  of  the 

**  King's  Exchequer,  to  seal  the  Writs  of  the  said 
"  Exchequer ;  and  one  other  Seal  of  one  piece, 
**  appointed  for  the  office  of  Privy  Seal,  to  Peter 
*'  de  Lacy,  Clerk  of  the  Privy  Seal.  And  he  re- 
"  delivered  to  the  aforesaid  Chamberlains  that 
"  great  seal  of  two  pieces,  whereon  is  engraven 
"  Edwardus  Rex  Anglie  dominus  Hibernie  et 
"  Aquitanie,  and  which,  according  to  the  aforesaid 
"  Peace,  was  appointed  for  the  rule  of  England ; 
"  and  four  other  Seals  for  the  Benches,  the  Ex- 
"  chequer,  and  for  the  office  of  Privy  Seal,  with 
*>  the  style  Kegis  Angl'  dVi  Hib'n'  et  Aquitan', 
••  which,  after  the  aforesaid  Peace,  had  been 
"  hitherto  kept  in  the  Treasury/'^ 

Richard  II.  No  notice  has  been  discovered  of  a  duplicate 

Great  Seal  being  used  during  the  reigns  of  Richard 
the   Second,   Henry   the   Fourth,   or   Henry   the 
Fifth ;  and  the  next  time  one  is  mentioned  is  in 
the   early  part  of  the   fifteenth  century.      A  fact 
connected  with  the  Great  Seal  and  the  Chancellor- 
ship, which  occurred  in  the  reign  of  Richard  the 
Second,    is,  however,   sufficiently   curious    to   be 
stated.     The    impetuous   manner    in   which    that 
Monarch  acted  towards  his  Ministers,  whenever  a 
sense  of  duty  caused  them  to  oppose  his  wishes, 
has  been   already  mentioned.^     Like  his  prede- 
cessors, he  sometimes  commanded  the  Great  Seal 


'  Foedera,  voLvi.  p.  621. 

2  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  vol.  i.  p.  xv. ;  Rot  Pari.  vol.  iii.  p.  420  b. 


PREFACE  clxxv 

to  be  affixed  to  instruments  while  it  was  in  his  The  Great 
own  keeping  ^,  thereby  avoiding  all  remonstrance,  ^^^* 
and  preventing  all  responsibility  on  the  part  of  his 
Chancellor.  Kichard  Lord  Scrope  of  Bolton  was 
appointed  Chancellor  for  the  second  time  in  De- 
cember 1381  ;  but  having  resisted  the  King's 
desire  to  confer,  upon  some  Royal  favourites,  the 
lands  which,  on  the  death  of  the  Earl  of  March, 
had  &llen  to  the  Crown,  Richard  "  became  incensed 
"  at  Scrope's  behaviour,  and  sent  messenger  after 
"  messenger,  commanding  him  forthwith  to  return 
**  the  Great  Seal."  Lord  Scrope,  however,  declined 
to  deliver  it,  except  to  the  King  himself^;  and  the 
Record  of  the  surrender  of  it,  in  July  1382,  corrobo- 
rates this  statement.  It  recites  that  on  the  11th  of 
July  in  that  year,  it  being  the  King's  pleasure  that 
Lord  Scrope  should  be  discharged  from  the  office 
of  Chancellor,  he  sent  John  de  Montague,  Steward 
of  his  Household,  to  command  that  the  Great 
Seal  should  be  delivered  to  him  forthwith.  With 
this  demand  the  Chancellor,  "  as  in  duty  bound,'* 
complied;  and  he  surrendered  it  to  the  King, 
who,  with  his  own  hands,  received  it  from  him. 
The  King,  however,  not  having  then  nominated 
the  future  Chancellor,  entrusted  his  Seal  to  Com- 
missioners, by  whom  it  was  used  until  the  Satur- 
day following,  on  which  day  it  was  delivered  to 
the  Bishop  of  London,  who,  at  Bristol,  had  been 
previously  appointed  Chancellor.^ 

1  For  an  kistance  of  this  practice  in  1381,  see  Foedera,  voL  vii.  p.  336. 

2  Walsingham,  p.  290.-  ^  Foedera,  vol.  vii.  p.3&2. 


clxxvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  On  the  28th  of  September  1422,  about  six 

He/ ""  Vl      weeks   after  the  death   of  Henry  the  Fifth,  the 

Bishop  of  Durham,  then  Chancellor,  surrendered 
the  Great  Seal  of  gold  into  the  hands  of  his  in&nt 
Sovereign,  at  Windsor  Castle,  in  the  presence  of 
the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  who  delivered  it  in  the 
King's  name  to  Gaunsted,  the  Keeper  of  the  Rolls, 
to  convey  to  London.  On  the  next  day,  several 
instruments  were  sealed  with  it  by  Gaunsted,  who 
retained  it  until  the  20th  of  November  follow- 
ing, on  which  day  he  gave  it  to  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester,  in  full  Parliament.  The  Duke  counter- 
sealed  the  purse  in  which  it  was  contained^  and 
gave  it  to  a  Clerk,  to  be  deposited  in  the  Trea- 
sury.^ 

Four  days  before  this  proceeding,  namely,  on 
the  16th  of  November,  the  Bishop  of  Durham  was 
re-appointed  Chancellor,  by  Letters  Patent^;  and  it 
is  remarkable  that  there  is  no  record  of  his  having 
ever  resigned  the  Great  Seal  of  silver,  or  of  the 
Great  Seal  of  gold  having  been  again  placed  in  his 
custody.  A  new  Great  Seal  was  made  on  that  oc- 
casion, because  the  King's  style  in  the  inscriptions 
on  the  former  Seals  was  not  suited  to  the  reigning 
Monarch.  It  was  said,  that  "  great  peril  might 
"  ensue  to  the  King  if  the  said  Seals  were  not 
^  immediately  altered ;"  and  the  Keepers  of  all 
the  King's  Seals  were  ordered  to  cause  them 
to    be    altered    forthwith.*      This    proceeding     is 

1  pp.  343,  344,  posted.  ?  p.  345^  postea. 

3  Pot  Pari,  1  Hen.  VI.  vol.  iv.  p.  171. 


PREFACE.  clxxvii 

considered    by  Prynne   as   one  of  the  two  pre-  TheGrbat 
cedents,  which  he  cites,  establishing  the  right  of       *^^' 
Parliament  to  cause  a  new  Great  Seal  to  be  made 
whenever  the  original  was  lost  or  wilfully  with- 
held'; but   there  is  little  analogy  between  that 
proceeding  and  the  case  to  which  it  is  applied 

The  Bishop  of  Durham  surrendered  the  Great 
Seal  of  silver  on  the  16th  of  July  1424,  and  it  was 
immediately  delivered  to  Beaufort  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester, who  took  the  oath  of  Chancellor,  and  sealed 
various  Charters  with  the  Great  Seal  according  to 
custom*^     Cardinal  Beaufort  having  resigned  the 
Great  Seal  of  stiver ^  the  Duke  of  Bedford  brought 
it  to  Leicester  Castle,  on  the  14th  of  March  1426, 
in  a  bag  of  white  leather  ;  and  having  sealed  some 
Letters  Patent,  replaced  it  therein;    and  on  the 
lj6th  of  the  same  month  conveyed  it  to  the  King, 
who  delivered  it  to  John  Kemp,  Bishop  of  London, 
the  new  Chancellor.^  The  Great  Seal  oi  gold  seems 
to  have  remained  in  the  King's  Treasury  from  the 
time  it  was  surrendered  by  die  Bishop  of  Durham, 
in  September  1422,  until  after  the  appointment  of 
the  Bishop  of  London ;  for  on  the  1 8th  of  March 
the  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  late  Treasurer  of 
Sngland,  pursuant  to  a  Writ  of  Privy  Seal  directed 
to  him,  brought  into  Parliament  the  King's  Great 
Seal  of  gold ;  and  having  given  it  to  the  Duke  of 
Bedford,  the  King's  commissioner,  the  Duke  took 


I  The  Opening  of  the  Great  Seal,  p.  19.  '^  p.  344,  postea, 

^  p.S46,jNMtei. 

VOL,  VI,  m 


clxxviii  PREFACE. 

The  Grbat  it  out  of  the  bag,  publicly  exhibited  and  replaced 
it,  and  then  delivered  it  into  the  custody  of  the 
Bishop  of  London,  the  Chancellor.^ 

Cardinal  Kemp  was  translated  to  the  See  of 
York  in  April  1426 ;  and  on  the  25th  of  February 
1432  he  surrendered  the  two  Great  Seals,  one  of 
gold  and  the  other  of  siher^  to  the  King,  who 
delivered  them  to  John  Stafford,  Bishop  of  Bath.* 
In  consequence  of  the  Chancellor's  departure  from 
England,  in  April  1433,  to  assist  at  a  negociation 
at  Calais,  the  Great  Seal  of  silver  was  placed  in  the 
custody  of  the  Keeper  of  the  Rolls,  with  power  to 
use  the  same^;  but  returning  on  the  3rd  of  May, 
he  restored  it  into  the  Chancellor's  hands,  who 
thus  became  the  depositary  of  both.* 

Stafford  was  appointed  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury  in  May  1443,  and  surrendered  the  two  Great 
Seals  above  mentioned  on  the  31st  of  January 
1450,  when  the  King  delivered  them  to  Cardinal 
Kemp,  Archbishop  of  York,  the  new  Chancellor, 
placing  at  tlie  same  time  in  his  custody  a  leather 
bag,  sealed  with  divers  seals  containing  another  of 
the  King's  Seals  of  silver,  which  had  been  kept 
in  the  Treasury.^  Of  this  third  Seal  the  purport 
is  not  known ;  but  on  Cardinal  Kemp's  deaths  in 
March  1454,  "  the  King's  three  Great  Sealsj  one  of 
"  gold  and  the  other  two  of  silver^^  were  brought 


J  Rot  ParU  vol.  iv.  p.  299.  ^  p.  349,  pottea. 

<  pp.  350-352,  jExw/to.  4  p.  352,  postea. 

5  pp.  353,  354,  postea. 


PREFACE-  clxxix 

into  Parliament,  in  a  wooden  chest,  and  delivered  The  Great 

Seal. 

by  the  Duke  of  York,  the  Lieutenant  of  the  King- 
dom, to  the  newly  appointed  Chancellor,  Richard 
Earl  of  Salisbury.^ 

The  Earl  of  Salisbury  surrendered  the  King's 
Great  Seal  of  silver^  with  two  other  of  the  King's 
Great  Seals,  one  of  gold  and  the  other  of  silver^  on 
the  7th  of  March  1455 ;  and  his  Majesty  then 
placed  the  said  three  Seals  in  the  custody  of  Thomas 
Bourchier,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  imme- 
diately afterwai'ds  took  the  oath  of  Chancellor.^ 
On  the  11th  of  October  1456,  the  said  three  Seals, 
having  been  surrendered  by  Archbishop  fiour- 
chier,  were  delivered  to  Waynjflete  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester, who  became  Chancellor;  and  the  record 
describes  the  Seals  as  "  one  Great  Seal  of  gold, 
*^  another  Seal  of  silver  of  a  large  form,  and  the 
"  third  Seal  of  silver  of  a  smaller  form.'*'  Bishop 
Waynflete  seems  to  have  been  dismissed  from,  or 
to  have  resigned,  the  Chancellorship,  in  a  very 
sudden  manner,  arising,  probably,  from  the  success 
of  the  Yorkists,  as  he  surrendered  to  the  King  one 
of  his  Great  Seals  of  silver  in  his  tent  pitched  in  a 
field  called  Hardingstone  Field,  near  the  Abbey  of 
SU  Mary  De  Pratis,  close  to  Northampton,  on  the  7th 
of  July  1460,  in  the  presence  only  of  the  Bishops  of 
Hereford  and  Durham,  Master  Thomas  Mannyng, 
the  King's  Secretary,  and  two  Esquires.     The  Seal 


1  p.  355,  poitea.  2  pp.  358  359,  postea, 

m  2 


Clxxx  PREFACE. 

The  Great  was  deposited  in  a  chest,  locked,  and  the  key  of  it 
given  to  the  King.* 

It  is  certain  that  the  Great  Seal  was  again 
placed  in  the  custody  of  Bourchier,  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  between  the  7th  and  25th  of  July  in  the 
same  year  ;  whose  name,  however,  does  not  occur 
in  Sir  William  Dugdale's,  or  in  any  other  cata- 
logue, as  being  Lord  Chancellor  or  Lord  Keeper 
during  that  period.  HBs  tenure  of  the  Seals  could 
not  have  exceeded  seventeen  or  eighteen  days, 
because  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  surrendered  the 
Great  Seal  on  the  7th,  and  on  the  25th  of  July 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  (who  is  not  styled 
Chancellor  or  Lord  Keeper  in  the  record)  delivered 
to  the  King,  in  the  house  of  the  Bishop  of  London 
called  the  Bishop's  Palace,  in  London,  three  Great 
Seals  of  the  King,  one  of  gold^  and  the  other  two 
of  silver^  on  which  day  his  Majesty  gave  them  to 
George  Neville,  Bishop  of  Exeter,  the  new  Chan- 
cellor. On  the  26th  of  July,  however,  that  per- 
sonage surrendered  back  into  the  King's  hands  two 
of  the  said  three  Seals,  namely,  one  of  gold^  and 
the  other  of  silver y  which  his  Majesty  retained.^ 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  though  there 
were  two,  and,  in  the  latter  part  of  Henry  the 
Sixth's  reign,  even  three.  Great  Seals  in  existence, 
yet  that  only  one  of  them,  namely,  the  large  silver 
Seal,  was  generally  used.  The  gold  Seal  was  clearly 
not  the  usual  official  Seal,  for  one  Chancellor  never 


1  p.  361,  posUa.  2  pp.  3^,  363,  poifeo. 


PREFACE.  Clxxxi 

received  it  into  his   custody;   another   seems   to  The  Great 

.  •  Seal, 

have  had  only  the  silver  Seal  with  him  when  he 
was  miexpectedly  called  upon  to  retire  from  office ; 
and  on  the  last  occasion,  when  the  gold  and  smaller 
silver  Great  Seal  are  both  mentioned,  they  were 
restored  to  the  King,  evidently  from  their  being 
useless  to  the  new  Chancellor,  within  a  few 
Lours  after  his  appointment  The  Great  Seal  of 
gold  was,  however,  delivered  to  Bishop  Neville, 
on  his  re-appointment  to  the  Chancellorship  by 
Edward  the  Fourth  immediately  after  his  accest- 
sion.^  But  neither  that  Seal  nor  the  smaller  one 
of  silver  are  noticed  in  the  other  records  of  the 
delivery  of  the  Seals  in  that,  or  in  any  sub- 
sequent reign ;  and  only  one  Great  Seal  ^  is  spoken 
of  throughout  Prynne's  learned  treatise  on  the 
subject 

Attention  ought  to  be  drawn  to  two  other 
fikrts  respecting  the  Great  Seal  during  the  early 
part  of  the  period  to  which  the  preceding  obser- 
vations refer.  Whenever  it  was  not  in  use,  it  was 
tept  under  the  Seals  of  one  or  more  Clerks  of 
the  Chancery  ;  and  it  was .  sometimes  necessary 
that  they  should  be  present  when  it  was  taken 
out  of  the  purse  or  bag  in  which  it  was  depo- 
sited, so  that,  in  fact,  the  Keeper  of  the  Great  Seal 
could  not  use  it  without  summoning  some  inferior 
officers  of  the  Court   of  Chancery.      It    is   like- 

1  Foedera,  voL  xi.  p.  47S. 

-  Liord  Coke  merely  notices  the  fact  that  Heniy  the  Sixth  had  two 
Great  Seals.    (4th  Inst.  88.) 

m  S 


clxxxti  PREFACE. 

The  Great  wise  remarkable  that  in  all  the  Records  of  the 
surrender  and  delivery  of  the  Great  Seal,  it  is  par- 
ticularly stated,  that  on  its  being  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  new  Chancellor  or  Keeper  he  had 
sealed  Writs,  Charters,  or  Patents  therewith ;  as  if 
the  actual  icse  of  the  Seal  was  necessary  to  prove 
that  he  had  taken  full  possession  of  his  Office. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth  the  Lord 
Chancellor  appears  to  have  taken  the  Great  Seal 
with  him  wherever  he  went,  even  when  he  quitted 
the  Realm ;  but  he  seems  to  have  possessed  the 
power  of  entrusting  it  to  another  person  for  a 
temporary  purpose.  Thus,  Secretary  Pace  informed 
Lord  Chancellor  Wolsey,  who  was  at  Calais  in 
October  1521,  that  the  King  said  Trinity  term 
might  be  kept,  if  he  would  send  home  the  Master 
of  the  Rolls  with  the  Great  Seal  for  that  purpose.^ 
It  being,  however,  determined  to  adjourn  the  Term 
in  case  the  plague  continued,  the  necessary  Writs 
were  sent  to  Wolsey,  to  be  sealed  and  returned 
to  the  King.^ 

The  remaining  observations  will  be  confined 
to  the  manner  in  which  the  Great  Seal,  has,  to  use 
a  technical  expression,  been  "  put  in  motion  ;*'  or, 
in  other  words,  what  was  at  various  periods 
considered  the  Chancellor's  proper  authority  for 
affixing  it  to  instruments  which  derive  from  it 
their  validity  and  legal  effect. 


State  Papers,  vol  i.  p.  70.  ^  Ibid.  p.  76. 


PREFACE.  Clxxxiii 

With  the  few  exceptions,  which  will  be  after-  The  Great 

wards  noticed,   the   Great    Seal   cannot  be   used 

without  the  express  commands  of  the  King ;  and 

there  have  been  several  modes  in  which  He  has 

expressed  His  commands   to  the  Chancellor  for 

that  purpose  ;  viz.,  Ist,  Verbally ;  2ndly,  by  Letters 

under  his  Signet,  or  other  small  Seal  addressed 

directly  to  him ;  Srdly,  by  Letters  under  ihe  Privy 

Seal,  similarly  addressed ;  and  4thly,  by  the  two 

latter  means  conjoined,  that  is,  by  Letters  under 

the  Signet  addressed  to  the  Keeper  of  ihe  Privy 

Seal,  who  thereupon  intimates  the  Koyal  pleasure 

to  the  Lord  Chancellor  by  a  Warrant  under  the 

Privy  Seal 

Of  the  usual  manner  of  proceeding  before 
the  reign  of  Bichard  the  Second,  little  more  is 
known  than  what  is  to  be  gathered  from  the 
notices  which  were  generally,  though  not  always, 
added  at  the  end  of  Charters  and  Patents,  stating 
the  immediate  authority  upon  which  they  had 
been  granted.  Tliese  notices  exhibit  the  fol- 
lowing among,  perhaps,  other  variations  :  "  By 
"  the  King  himself,  and  all  the  Council^:"  "By 
^  Writ  of  Privy  SeaP;"  "  This  Charter  was  made 
^  according  to  our  mandate  sent  by  the  Bishop  of 
«  Winchester^:"  « By  the  King  himself:"  « By 
^  the  Petition  of  the  Council :"  «  By  the  Coun- 
"  cil :"    "  By   the   King  himself    and   the   Great 


I  Charter  51  Hen.  m. 

3  34  Edw.  I.;  and  very  generally  at  all  periods.  ^  19  Edw.  II. 

m  4 


clxxxiv  PREFACE. 

The  Great  «  Council:"  "By  the  King  and  Council  in  full 
"  Parliament^:"  "  By  fine  paid  into  the  Hanaper  :*' 
"  By  Letters  of  the  King  himself  of  the  Signet*:*' 
"  By  the  King,  and  afterwards  by  the  announce- 
«  ment  of  the  Constable  of  England:''  "  By  Peti- 
"  tion  in  Parliament^;"  and  sometimes  "  By  the 
"  King's  own  word  of  mouth."* 

The  evils  and  inconveniences  which  arose  fi-om 
the  Chancellor  being  obliged  to  pass  any  Grant 
which  the  King,  through  the  influence  of  favourites 
or  from  momentary  impulse,  might  be  induced  to 
confer,  without  the  previous  interposition  of  his 
Council,  or  of  some  of  his  responsible  Ministers, 
were  shewn  on  numerous  occasions,  and  were,  as 
has  been  already  observed,  frequently  the  subject 
of  complaints  in  Parliament.  Various  remedies 
were  at  diflerent  times  suggested,  but  it  was  long 
before  any  effectual  restraint  could  be  imposed 
upon  the  King's  personal  authority  respecting 
Grants.  Perhaps  the  earliest  effort  made  by  the 
Legislature  to  render  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy 
Seal,  as  well  as  the  Chancellor,  responsible  for 
illegal  Grants,  was  in  the  13th  Ric.  XL  1389  ^ 
with  reference  to  pardons  of  treasons  and  fe- 
lonies; and  the  next  appears  to  have  occurred 
in  the  8th  of  Henry  the  Fourth.  In  December 
of  that  year  (1406)  it  was  agreed  by  the  King 
and  Parliament,  that,  for  the  preservation  of  the 


1  Between  5  and  10  Edw.  III.  2  10  Ric  II.  «  1  Hen.  IV. 

4  Per  ipsum  Regem  ore  tenns.  ^  Vide  p.  cxliii,  aniea. 


PREFACE.  dxxxv 

Laws  of  the  Kingdom,  the  Chancellor  and  the  Thb  great 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal  should  not  allow  any 
.Warrant,  Grant  by  Patent,  Judgment,  or  any  other 
thmg,  to  pass  under  the  Seals  in  their  custody,  or 
in  the  custody  of  either  of  them,  which  by  Law 
and  right  ought  not  to  pass ;  and  that  they  should 
not  unduly  delay  such  as  ought  to  pass.^ 

In  the  18th  of  Henry  the  Sixth  a  Statute  was 
passed,  which  stated  that  numerous  persons  had 
obtained   Grants    of  Of&ces    and  Lands   from    a 
date  long  antecedent  to  that  of  the  Patent  which 
conferred  them,  whence   it  had  often  happened, 
that  parties  who  were  in  actual  possession  under 
previous    Patents    had    been    unjustly    removed, 
**  against  right,  good  conscience,  or  reason."     It 
was  therefore  enacted,  that  the  day  of  the  delivery 
of  every  Warrant  thereafter   sent  by  the   King 
to  the  Chancellor,  should  be  recorded   in  Chan- 
cery;  and   that  the  Letters   Patent   issued  pur- 
suant to   such  Warrant  should  be  dated   on  the 
day  on   which  it   was   delivered   into   Chancery, 
and  not  before.     All  Patents  afterwards  made  to 
the  contrary  were  to  be  utterly  void  and  of  none 
effect^    After  this  Statute  all   Letters  Patent  or 
Charters,  in  addition  to  the  usual  words,  "  By  the 
''  King  himself,''  or  "  By  Writ  of  Privy  Seal,''  &c., 
are  said  to  have  been  granted  "  of  the  Date  afore- 
'^  said,  by  the  authority  of  Parliament,''  which  has 
sometimes  been  absurdly  supposed  to  mean,  that 


1  Rot  Pari,  voL  iii.  p,  586.  »  Stat  18  Hen.VL  c  1. 


clxxxvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  such  instruments  had  the  force  of  an  Act  of  Par- 
hament 

Neither  the  Parliamentary  Ordinances  of  1389, 
or  1406,  nor  this  Statute,  rendered  a  Warrant  under 
the  Privy  Seal  indispensible  to  authorize  the  Chan* 
cellor  to  affix  the  Great  Seal  to  Grants  of  Honors, 
Offices,  or  Lands ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that 
the  present  excellent  system  of  a  gradation  of 
Officers,  each  imposing  a  check  upon  the  other, 
which  is  thus  eulogized  by  Lord  Coke,  was  (with 
the  few  exceptions  hereafter  mentioned)  first  uni- 
versally acted  upon,  and  became  part  of  the  Statute 
Law  of  the  country,  in  the  arbitrary  reign  of  Henry 
the  Eighth : 

«  At  the  making  of  this  Statute  (28  Edw.  I.) 
^^  the  King  had  another  Seal,  and  that  is  called 
^*  *  Signettum,'  his  Signet.     This  Seal  is  ever  in 
"  the  custody  of  the  Principal  Secretary ;  and  there 
^*  be  four  Clerks  of  the  Signet,  called  '  Clerici  Sig- 
"  netti,'  attending  on  him.     Tlie  reason  wherefore 
"  it  is  in  the  Secretaries  custody,  is,  for  that  the 
"  King's  private  Letters  are  signed  therewith.  Also 
^*  the  duty  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Signet  is  to  write 
"  out  such  Grants  or  Letters  Patent  as  pass  by  Bill 
"  signed  (that  is,  a  Bill  superscribed  with  the  Sig- 
"  nature,  or  Sign  Manual,  or  Royal  hand  of  the 
"  King,)   to   the   Privy  Seal ;   which    Bill,  being 
^  transcribed    and   sealed   with   the    Signet,  is  a 
«  Warrant  to  the  Privy  Seal,  and  the  Privy  Seal 
"  is  a  Warrant  to  the  Great  Seal.     Such  was  the 
"  \yisdom  of  prudent  Antiquity,  that  whatsoever 


PREFACE,  clxxxvii 

"  should  pass  the  Great  Seal,  should  come  through  The  Gas  at 

^^  so  many  hands,  to  the  end  that  nothing  should 

*'  pass  that  Great  Seal,  that  is  so  highly  esteemed 

^  and  accounted  of  in  Law,  that  was  against  Law^ 

^'  or  inconvenient ;  or  that  any  thing  should  pass 

"  from  the  King  any  ways,  which   he   intended 

"  not,  by  undue  or  surreptitious  means."* 

Although  the  establishment  of  a  regular  chain 
o{  official  responsibility  in  making  Grants,  under 
the  Great  Seal,  did  not  come  into  general  use  until 
a  comparatively  late  period,  an  arrangement  founded 
upon  that  system  was  not  only  proposed  by  the 
Comicil  to^  but  actually  received  the  consent  of, 
King  Henry  the  Sixth.  This  circumstance  is 
shewn  by  tlie  Ordinance  which  was  submitted  to 
and  approved  by  that  Monarch  about  the  year  1443; 
but  as  it  has  been  already  ftiUy  abstracted^  it  is 
only  requisite  to  refer  to  so  much  of  it  as  bears 
upon  the  matter  under  discussion.  Tlie  object 
was  clearly  to  prevent  improper  Grants ;  and  as 


I  Second  Institute,  p.  556*  The  system  is  also  justly  praised  by 
Bkuskstone.  **  The  King's  Grants  are  also  matter  of  public  record ; 
"  for,  as  St.  Germyn  says  (Doctor  and  Student,  B,  i.  d.  8.),  the  King's 
**  Excellency  b  so  high  in  the  Law  that  no  freehold  may  be  given  to 
'*  the  King,  ncnr  derived  from  him,  but  by  matter  of  record.  And  to 
*^  this  end  a  variety  of  Offices  are  erected,  communicating  in  a  regular 
"  subordination  one  with  another,  through  which  all  the  King's  Grants 
**  must  pass,  and  be  transcribed  and  enrolled,,  that  the  same  may  be 
^  narrowly  inspected  by  his  Officers,  who  will  inform  him  if  any  thing 
**  contained  therein  is  improper  or  unlawful  to  be  granted."  Conmieiv- 
tariesy  voL  ii.  p.  346* 

2  p.  xci-xciv,  on^ea ;  wnd^^SlSteiseq^postea)  where  it  is  printed  at 
length. 


« 
« 


clxxxviii  PREFACE. 

The  Great  the  Statute  of  the  18th  Hen.  VI.  provided  against 

antedating  Patents,  so  this  Ordinance,  after  securing 
means  for  rendering  the  King  fully  acquainted 
with  the  nature  of  all  Petitions,  provided  that  a 
clause  should  be  introduced  into  all  Grants,  making 
them  conditional  upon  the  things  solicited  not 
having  been  already  conferred* 

The  regulation  by  which  it  was  sought  to 
impose  a  restraint  upon  a  hasty  exercise  of  the 
King's  prerogative,  was  as  follows : 

"  Item,  that  forasmuch  as  it  is  like  that  such 
"  thing  as  passeth  the  hands  of  many  persons  shall 
^^  the  more  readily  and  sadly  pass,  and  any  hurt  that 
should  else  more  grow  to  the  King  or  to  prejudice 
of  any  other  person  the  more  to  be  eschewed,  it 
"  is  thought  that  all  Bills,  when  the  King  of  his 
"  good  grace  hath  granted  them,  be  delivered  to 
**  his  Secretary,  and  Letters  to  be  conceived  upon 
"  them,  directed  under  the  Signet  to  the  Keeper 
"  of  the  Privy  Seal,  and  from  thence  under  the 
«  Privy  Seal  to  the  Chancellor  of  England." 

"  Item,  that  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal, 
"  what  time  he  receiveth  Letters  under  the  Signet, 
"  shall,  if  it  be  thought  to  him  that  the  matter 
"  contained  in  the  same  be  of  great  charge,  have 
"  recourse  to  the  Lords  of  the  Council,  and  open 
"  to  them  the  matter,  to  the  intent  that  if  it  be 
"  thought  necessary  to  them  the  King  be  adver- 
^  tised  thereof,  ere  it  pass."* 

1  p.  318,  319,  pos^. 


PREFACE-  clxxxix 

While  this  arrangement  was  intended  by  its  TheGrbat 
authors  to  be  a  check  upon  the  Royal  will,  they 
still  feared  it  might  raise  the  suspicion  of  its  being 
intended  to  touch  the  King's  prerogative ;  for  in 
the  introduction  to  the  Ordinance  the  Council 
humbly  protested,  that  they  submitted  the  project 
to  his  Majesty  "  only  by  way  of  advertisement,  and 
«  none  otherwise ;  for  they  in  no  wise  think,  nor 
^  have  will  to  do  or  [propose],  anything  but  that 
^  the  King's  good  Grace  do  at  all  times  as  it  shaU 
^  please  him,  and  use  his  power  and  wiU  as  it 
"  appertaineth  to  his  Royal  estate."^ 

Some  pains  have  been  taken  to  ascertain 
whether  this  admirable  arrangement  was  imme- 
diately acted  upon ;  and  the  result  of  the  inquiry 
shews  that  though  Grants  from  the  Crown  appear 
to  have  been  made  in  conformity  with  its  pro- 
visions, for  some  time  after  it  was  issued,  and 
though  it  may  have  induced  the  Crown  to  employ 
the  intervention  of  the  Privy  Seal  more  frequently 
than  before,  yet  that  its  main  object  —  of  ren- 
dering the  sanction  of  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy 
Seal  indispensible  to  every  instrument  that  passed 
the  Great  Seal  —  was  certainly  not  attained 

All  the  Letters  Missive  now  in  the  Tower 
to  the  Chancellor  in  the  reigns  of  Henry  the  Sixth 
and  Edward  the  Fourth  have  been  examined ;  and 
they  prove  that  the  most  material  provisions  of 
that  Ordinance  were  disregarded.    After,  as  well  as 

1  T^.Sl6,poste(u 


CXC  PREFAOR. 

The  Great  before  1443,  the  King  was  in  the  habit  of  sending  his 
commands^  under  his  Signet,  directly  to  the  Chan^ 
cellor,  to  make  Grants  of  every  description — of 
Offices,  Honors,  Lands,  and  Privileges — ^without  any 
Writ  of  Privy  Seal  Patents  marked  **  Per  ipsum 
"  Regem"  were  equally  common ;  and  although 
many  Patents  were  certainly  issued  by  authority  of 
Writs  of  Privy  Seal,  which  may  have  been  considered 
the  regular  method,  still  they  were  not  more  nume- 
rous than  theretofore ;  nor  is  it  possible  to  define 
accurately  in  what  cases  Writs  of  Privy  Seal  were 
then  thought  indispensible  to  justify  the  Chancellor 
in  using  the  Great  Seal.  No  general  rule  seems  to 
have  been  adopted ;  but  those  Writs  are  supposed  to 
have  been  very  rarely  used  when  the  King  gave  his 
commands  verbally  to  the  Chancellor,  or  when  a 
Petition,  to  which  his  Majesty  had  acceded,  recited 
the  form  in  which  the  thing  prayed  for  was  to  be 
granted. 

The  Ordinance  of  the  22nd  Hen.  VI.  appears, 
however,  to  have  created  some  doubt  of  the  validity 
of  such  Grants  as  had  been  passed  upon  no  other 
authority  than  Warrants  under  the  Signet,  or  Sig- 
net of  the  Eagle,  or  of  Bills  signed  by  the  King 
and  indorsed  by  the  Chamberlain,  or  Clerk  of  the 
Council ;  for  in  November  1444  the  King  issued 
the  following  Writ  of  Privy  Seal,  declaring  that 
all  such  Grants  as  had  passed  since  the  tenth 
year  of  his  reign,  pursuant  to  such  Bills  and 
Letters,  should  be  as  ^^  firm  and  stable,"  and  to 
the  Chancellor  of  as  sufficient  Warrant,  as  though 


PREFACE.  cxd 

he  had  made  them  by  authority   of  Letters  of  ^^^^  Q^max 
Privy  Seal:  — 

"  Herry,  by  the  grace  of  God  Kynge  of 
^  England  and  of  Fraunce^  and  Lord  of  Irland, 
^  to  our  Chauncellor  of  England,  gretynge.  All 
^^  sadk  gramites  as  that  sith  the  x^\  yere  of  our 
"  r^e  unto  this  tyme  Ye  by  force  and  vertue  of 
"  Billes  with  our  own  hond,  and  by  Lettres  under 
^  our  Signettes  of  the  Egle  and  Armes,  and  also 
^  by  Billes  endoced  by  our  Chamberleyns  hands, 
"  and  Clerk  of  our  Counsail,  have  made  our 
^  Lettres  Patentes  under  our  Grete  Seel,  We  hold 
^  theym  ferme  and  stable,  and  of  as  grete  strength 
^  and  valewe,  and  to  yowe  as  suj£cient  warrant,  as 
^  though  ye  had  had  for  theime  our  Lettres  of 
^  Frive  Seal ;  any  statut,  charge,  restraint,  act,  or 
^  commaundement  to  vowe  made  into  the  contrarie 
^  notwithstondyng.  Yeven  under  our  Prive  Seal, 
^  at  our  manoir  within  our  park  of  Wyndesore, 
"  the  vij,  day  of  November,  the  yere  of  our  regno 
"  xxiij."* 

Although  this  document  tends  to  shew  that 
the  r^ular  course,  in  making  Grants,  was  by  Writs 
of  Privy  Seal,  it  not  only  proves  that  the  King 
conridered  that  he  might,  as  he  often  did,  com- 
mand the  Chancellor  to  act  without  them,  but  that 
he  could,  by  his  mere  declaration,  confer  validity 
upon  all  Grants  which  had  been  passed  under  such 
circumstances. 

1  Rot  Pat,  p.  L  23  Hen-VI.  m.  18. 


cxcii  PREFACE. 

TheGrrat  a  remarkable  instance  of  the   King^s  dis-    I 

""'•  pensing  with  the  Privy  Seal  occurred  in  1447. 
Henry  having  pardoned  a  person  who  had  been 
convicted  of  high  treason,  a  letter,  sealed  with  the 
Signet  of  the  Eagle,  was  sent  to  the  Chancellor, 
commanding  him  to  grant  the  offender  a  pardon 
under  the  Great  Seal ;  and  informing  him,  "  that 
"  when  the  Privy  Seal  should  come  into  country, 
"  we  shall  send  you  your  sufficient  Warrant  in  this 
^  behalf."*  This  process,  by  which  the  Chancellor 
was  ordered  to  act  without  his  proper  Warrant, 
upon  a  promise  that  it  should  be  sent  to  him 
after  the  deed  should  have  been  irrevocable,  proves 
how  little  the  principle  of  official  responsibility 
was  then  understood,  or,  at  least,  attended  to. 

The  following  circumstance  exhibits  another 
example  of  the  King's  disregard  of  those  official 
forms  by  which  the   Crown   is    prevented  from 
acting  without  the  sanction  of  its    advisers ;  and 
it  also  proves  that  it  was  not  usual,  in  the  reign 
of  Henry  the   Sixth,  for  the   King    to  sign  all 
Letters   which    were   written   in  his   name..    In 
1442,  Ambassadors  were  appointed  to  negociate  a 
marriage  between  Henry  the  Sixth  and  a  daughter 
of  the  Count  of  Armagnac     Their  instructions, 
which  were   issued  under  the  Great   Seal  in  the 
usual  manner,  only  empowered  them  to  treat  for 
an  alliance  with  the  lady  who  was  specially  named 
therein ;  but  the  King  afterwards  wished  **  to  set  it 

1  Ex  Grig,  in  Turn  Load.,  printed  in  the  Excerpta  Historica,  p.  281. 


PREFACE.  exciii 

"  general,"  that  he  might  have  the  choice  of  either  Tub  Great 

of  the  Count's  daughters.     Instead  of  causing  so 

important  a  variation  from  the  original  instructions 

to  be  executed  in  a  proper  manner,  under  the  Great 

Seal,  it  was  merely  expressed  in  a  Letter  from  the 

King  to  the  Ambassadors,  under  the  Signet  of  the 

Ei^le,  and  the  irregularity  was  thus  attempted  to 

be  provided  for  in  the  Letter  itself :  **  And  foras- 

<'  much  as  ye  have  none  instruction  of  this  form, 

^  but  this   only  which   proceedeth  of  Our  own 

"  motion,  desiring  therefore  that  ye,  tiotwithstand- 

"  ing  all  other,  do  the  execution  thereof.  We  have 

"  signed  this  Letter  of  Our  own  hand,  the  which, 

*^  as  ye  wot  well.  We  be   not  much  accustomed 

"  for  to  do  in  other  case."* 

The  Ambassadors  declined  to  act  upon  that 
Letter,  and  informed  his  Majesty  that,  according 
to  their  ^  simple  wits,"  it  had  altogether  super- 
seded their  Commission.  They,  therefore,  prayed 
for  new  powers ;  and  another  Commission  was 
issued,  which  authorized  them  to  select  one  of 
the  Count's  daughters ;  but  the  new  Commission, 
though  executed  about  the  2nd  of  July,  bore  the 
date  of  the  original  Commission,  namely,  the  20th 
of  May  1442.* 

In  the  year  1450,  an  Act  of  Parliament  was 
passed,  for  resuming  all  the  King's  Grants  which  had 


^  Journal  of  BiBbop  Beckingtoo,  Svo.  1828,  p.  6. 

>  Urid,  pp.  7,  8«  9 ;  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  7.  Another  example  of  ante- 
dtdng  Commissions  will  be  found  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Priyy  Couri* 
tSi,  ToL  y.  p.  IL 

VOL.  VI,  11 


cxciv  PREFACE. 

The  Great  been  made  since  his  accession^  and  providing  that 

all  future  Grants  of  the  Lands  so  resumed  should 
be  void,  unless  "  those  Letters  Patent  pass  by  ad- 
"  vice  and  assent  of  your  Chancellor  and  Your 
"  Treasurer  of  England,  Privy  Seal,  and  six  Lords 
"  of  your  Great  Council  for  the  time  being,  and 
"  that  they,  and  each  of  them,  subscribe  in  such 
"  Letters  Patent  their  names ;  and  that  the  said 
"  Letters  Patent,  so  subscribed  with  the  names, 
"  be  enrolled  in  Your  Chancery  of  record."  ^    This 
regulation    explains   the   occurrence  of  so  many 
Signatures    to    the   Acts    of   the   Council,   upon 
which  the  Chancellor  was  to  issue  Letters  Patent, 
after  the  29th  of  Henry  the   Sixth  ^;    but  as  no 
Patent  itself  has  ever  contained  the  Signatures  of 
Officers  of  State,  or  Members  of  the  Council,  the 
meaning  of  the  Act  must  have  been  that  the  per- 
sons therein  mentioned  should  subscribe,  not  the 
Letters  Patent  themselves,  but  the  original  War— 
rants  which  formed  the  Chancellor's  authority  for 
issuing  them.     The  whole  proceeding  is,  however, 
another  proof  of  the  anxiety  of  the  Commons   to 
prevent  improper  Grants,  though  they  committed 
the  mistake  of  throwing  upon  numerous   indivi- 
duals a  responsibility,  which,  to  be  effectual,  ought 
to  be  as  little  divided  as  possible ;  for  there  is  no 
greater   error  than  to  attribute  security  and  effi- 
ciency, in  matters  of  public  business,  to  numbers. 


J  Rot.  Pari.,  29  Hen. VI.  vol.  v.  p.  218. 
^  Videposteoy  pp.  167,  169,  171,  ct  seq. 


PREFACE.  CXCV 

On  many  occasions  King  Edward  the  Fourth  The  Great 
enforced  his  directions  in  his  Letters  to  the  Chan-      ^^^^' 
cellor  by  adding  his  commands  in  his  own  hand- 
writing.    Some  riots  having  occurred  at  Bristol, 
the  Chancellor  was  ordered,  by  a  Letter  signed  by 
the  King  and  sealed  with  the  Signet,  to  make  a 
Commission  of  oyer  and  terminer  for  the  punish- 
ment of  the  offenders  ;  and  Edward  himself  wrote 
on  it,  ^  Cosyn,  yff  ye  thynke  ye  schall  have  a  War- 
"  rant,  thys  Our  wryten  that  soffyse  unto  ye  may 
"  have   on   made  in  dew   forme ;    We   pray  you 
^  hyt  fayle  not*;"  an  addition  which  shews  the 
King^s  doubt  whether  the  Chancellor  would  con- 
sider the  Letter  itself  of  sufficient  authority.     By 
^  Warrant,"  in  this  instance,  was  evidently  meant 
Letters  of  Privy  Seal.     About  1465    Sir  Robert 
Eirkham,  Master  of  the  Rolls  and  Keeper  of  the 
Great  Seal,   seems    to  have   hesitated   in    acting 
upon  Letters  of  the  above  description ;  and  the 
King's  opinion  on  the  subject  was  expressed  in  a 
very  remarkable    manner.     He   had   commanded 
Eirkham  to  issue  Letters  of  safe  conduct  under 
the  Great  Seal  for  a  Spanish  vessel  and  her .  crew 
then    at    Southampton,    for    which,   probably    on 
account  of  his  not  considering  the  Letter  Missive 
his  proper  authority,  Letters  of  Privy  Seal,  or,  as 
they  are  called,  *'  our  Letters  of  Warrant  under  our 
"  Privy  Seal,"  were  likewise  sent  to  him.     Kirk- 
ham  nevertheless  still  hesitated  to  obey  the  com- 


1  Ex  Grig,  in  Tarr.  Lond. 
n  2 


CXCvi  PREFACE* 

ThbOrbao:  mand  (perhaps  because  he  doubted  the  legality  or 
expediency  of  the  proceeding),  upon  which  the 
King  ordered  another  Letter  under  the  Signet  to 
be  sent  to  him,  wherein,  after  stating  the  above 
facts,  and  his  Majesty's  surprise  at  his  non-com- 
pliance, commanded  him,  that  immediately  on  the 
sight  of  that  Letter  he  should  make  and  deliver  the 
said  instrument  without  any  delay,  and  that  if  the 
Warrant  before  issued  was  not  sufficient  for  his 
discharge  it  should  be  renewed,  ^^Albeitj^  the  King 
adds,  ^^  Our  speech  to  you^  Us  thinkeffi^  voas  sufft-- 
"  cient  Warrant;^  and  at  the  bottom  he  wrote,  in 
his  own  hand,  "  Sir,  We  will  the  premises  be  sped 
"  without  delay."  It  is  therefore  evident  that 
whatever  may  have  been  the  opinion  of  Sir  Robert 
Kirkhami  of  the  necessity  of  a  Warrant  of  Privy 
Seal  to  justify  him  in  affixing  the  Great  Seal  to 
any  instrument,  the  King  considered  that  even  his 
verbal  commands  were  sufficient  for  the  purpose.^ 


1  £x  Grig,  in  Turr.  Lond.    The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  original 
document:— 

«  By  the  King. 

**  Trusty  and  welbeloved,  we  grete  you  wel,  and  remembre  us 
*^  \dX  we  spake  unto  you,  clerc  of  our  RoUes,  to  do  make  a  cler 
**  and  sure  saufconduite  for  the  Kervel  of  Spayne,  being  at  SoutK- 
*^  ampton,  and  for  the  maisfs,  Schants,  and  mari&s  of  Y  same, 
•*  to  be  made  under  our  greet  seel  in  due  forme.     Wherupon, 
<<  according  to  })e  same  entent,  our  Cousin  of  Worcesti^  deli^ed 
**  unto  you  o^  bres  of  warrant  under  o*"  p*ve  seel,  the  whioli 
**  pot  w*standing,  ye  differre  to  make  owt   and  deli9  our  said 
"  ires  of  saufcondite,   wherof  we  Svayle;   wherfor   we  charge 
**  you  straytly  Y  incontinet  upon  the  sight  herof  ye  do  make 


PREFACE.  cxcvri 

There  are  two  other  instances  of  additions  being  Thr  Great 
made  to  Bills  or  Letters  Missive  by  Edward  the 
Fourth^  In  1479  the  Chancellor  was  ordered  to 
grant  Letters  Patent  of  a  corrody  in  the  Monas^ 
tery  of  Gloucester  to  one  of  the  King's  servants 
upon  his  Petition,  which  was  signed  by  Edward 
in  the  usual  manner  ;  and  his  Majesty  wrote 
under  it,  "My  Lorde  Chanseler,  Wee  pray  you 
"  spede  thys  Bille  and  take  hyt  for  your  war- 
^  rant."  ^  These  special  instructions  were  generally 
^ven  in  cases  of  doubt  or  difl&culty,  or  when  it 
was  necessary  to  countermand  a  previous  order. 
Thus,  the  King  having,  towards  the  end  of  his 
reign,  ordered  that  before  a  Writ  "  de  procedendo" 
was  issued  to  the  Abbot  of  St.  Benett  in  Hulme, 
an  Inquisition  should   be  held,  but  his  "dearest 

"  Lady  mother''  having  exerted  her  influence  with 

-        -  ■  ■  ■  ■■■,■■  — I —  ■  ■  ■  ■  — . —       ■     - 

^  and  deli?  t^em  w^oute  eny  delay,  lating  you  wite  Y  and  yo'  war- 
^  nnt  be  not  souffisant  for  yo^  discharge  ye  shal  have  it  renewed, 
^  albe  it  our  speche  to  you  us  tbynketh  was  souffisant  warrant  • 
**  and  over  J>is,  we  wol  and  straytly  charge  you,  Thom*s  Colt^ 
•*  J^  ye  deli9  J?e  same  ires  of  saufcondite  w^oute  eny  fee  therof  or 
**  ther&r  to  o'  use  taking,  and  w^oute  eny  delay,  as  our  very 
«  tmst  is  in  you.     Yeven  under  our  signet  at  our  monastery  of 

^  Saint  Alban,  ]^  xxix.  day  of  Avril. 

^  S'y  We  toyit  the  pmyssys  be  gpeyd  xo^oyte  delay. 
"  To  cure  trusty  and  welbeloved  clerc,  Maistr  Ro- 

^  bert  Kirkeh*m,  keper  of  our  greet  seel,  and  of  our 

^  Relies  in  our  Chaimcerie,  and  our  right  welbeloved 

"  Counaellour  Thom[as]  Colt,  clerc  of  our  Hanaper." 

1  A  very  interesting  example  of  the  kind  by  Richard  the  Third  i» 
vdl  known.  Vide  Ellis's  I^etters  illustrative  of  English  History,  Second 
Series,  vol.  i» 

n  a 


Cxcviii  PREFACE. 

Thk  Grsat  the  King  to  obtain  that  Writ  without  any  delay. 

He,  the  next  day,  commanded  the  Chancellor  to 
issue  and  deliver  it  into  the  hands  of  his  "  said 
"  most  dear  Lady  mother,  to  the  intent  that  she 
"  may  use  the  same  as  shall  be  thought  best  to 
"  her  and  to  her  Council ;"  and  the  Letter  proceeds, 
"  This  We  wol  ye  speed  in  any  wise,  as  Our  trust 
"  is  in  you ;  and  these  Our  Letters  shall  be  unto  you 
"  sufficient  Warrant  and  discharge."  The  King, 
moreover,  added,  in  his  own  hand,  "  My  Lord 
"  Chanseler,  thys  most  be  don."^ 

That  a  Warrant  under  the  Privy  Seal  might, 
in   certain  cases,  be  required  by  the  Chancellor, 
but  that  the  want   of  it  could    be   supplied    by 
special  Letters  under  the  King's  Sign  Manual  and 
Signet,  may  be  inferred  from  the  proceedings  on 
the   creation   to  the  Earldom  of  Lincoln   of  the 
King's  nephew,  John  de  la  Pole,  eldest  son  of  the 
Duke  of  Suffolk,  in  March  1467.     On  the  10th  of 
that  month,  a  Letter  was  written  to  the  Chancellor, 
under  the   Signet  and  Sign  Manual,  stating  that, 
"  for   so  much    as  We,  for  divers  considerations 
"  Us  moving,   have   erect,    ordained,   and  create 
"  Our  dear   nephew  John,  son   and  heir  to  Our 
"  right  trusty  and  well  beloved  brother  the  Duke 
"  of  Suffolk,   Earl   of   Lincoln,   as    shall   appear 
"  unto  you  by  Our  Letters  under  Our  Signet,  which, 
"  We  send  unto  you  by  the   bearer  hereof.  We 
"  therefore  desire  and  pray  you,  that,  by  Warrant 

^        -     J  f  -^  III.--  -  -_^  ■■--I,        -  , 

'  Ex  Grig,  in  Turn  Lond. 


PREFACE.  cxcix 

'*  of  Our  said  Letters  and  of  these,  considering  the  The  Great 

"  great  distance  hence  and  absence  of  Our  Privy  Seal^ 

"  ye  do  make  our  Letters  Patents   of  the   said 

"  creation,  without  failing,  as  Our  trust  is  in  you ; 

^  wherein   ye  shall   do  Us   a   singular    pleasure. 

*'  Given  under  Our  Signet,  at  Our  Castle  of  Wind- 

"  sor,  the  10th  day  of  March/' ^ 

The  "  Letters "  alluded  to  in  that  communi- 
cation, which  resembles  what  was  afterwards,  and  is 
now,  called  an  "  immediate  Warrant^,''  are  also  pre- 
served.    Though  said  to  have  been  written  at  the 
same  time,  and  forwarded  by  the  same  messenger, 
they  are  not  dated  until  two  days  after  ;  and  they 
merely  contain   a  copy  of  the   creation,  and  the 
King's  commands  to  the  Chancellor  to  make  Let- 
ters Patent  under  the  Great  Seal   in  that  form. 
They  are  not  signed  by  the  King,  but  commence 
"  Per  Regem,"  and  bear  the  following  subscrip- 
tion :    "  Data  nostro   sub   Signeto  apud    Castrum 
"  nostrum  de  Wyndesore  xij**.  die  Marcii   anno 
"  regni  nostri  septimo.  Harpisfield."     The  follow- 
ing "  Memorandum,  quod  xiij**.  die  Marcii  anno 
"  subscripto   istud  breve   liberatum  fuit  Domino 
^  Cancellario  Angliae  apud  Westmonasterium  exe- 
"  quendum,"  is  written  at  the  head  of  the  Bill  in  a 
different  hand.^     On  the  13th  of  March,  the  Chan- 
cellor placed  the  Great  Seal  to  the  Earl  of  Lincoln's 
patent ;  and  it  is  stated  to  have  been  done  "  per 
^  ipsum  Regem; 


»»3 


I  £x  Grig,  in  Turr.  Lond.  ^  Vide  p.  cciiii  postea, 

9  Rot  Cart  5-8  Edw.  IV.  n.  4. 

n  4 


cc  PREFACE. 

The  Great  It  is  deserving  of  attention,  that  the  language 

of  all  Grants  and  other  documents  which  convey 
the  Royal  Commands,  or  give  effect  to  the  Royal 
intentions,  imports  that  the  Grants  or  Command* 
themselves  have  preceded^  and  are  independent  of,  the 
written  instruments  in  which  they  are  expressed. 
By  a  flattering  fiction,  the  King's  Grants  and  com- 
mands are  complete  the  moment  He  deigns  to  signify 
his  pleasure ;  and  all  subsequent  proceedings  would 
appear  to  he  only  necessary  for  the  purpose  of 
recording  His  will,  and  to  prevent  the  same  pro- 
perty from  being  granted  to  others.  Nor  has  the 
delusion  been  removed  by  the  stem  fact  that  the 
Law  pays  little  regard  to  any  other  manifestation 
of  the  Royal  authority  than  those  written  instru- 
ments, to  which  one  or  more  responsible  Ministera 
of  the  Crown  have  given  their  sanction,  A  ques- 
tion has  never  been  entertained  of  the  absolute 
necessity  of  Letters  Patent,  or  of  a  Charter,  under 
the  Great  Seal,  to  render  the  King's  Grants  opera- 
tive ;  and  any  declaration  of  the  intention  of  the 
Crown  to  make  a  Grant,  whether  verbally,  by 
Letters  under  the  Signet,  or  even  by  Warrant  of 
Privy  Seal,  is  wholly  useless,  unless  those  preli- 
minary measures  be  completely  carried  into  effect 
by  the  Great  Seal. 

In  the  27th  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  a  Statute 
was  passed,  which,  in  many  points,  adopted  the  pro- 
position made  by  the  Council,  and  signed  by  the 
King,  in  the  22nd  Hen.  VL,  of  rendering  a  Warrant 
of  Privy  Seal  necessary,  in  most  cases,  to  authorize 


PREFACE.  CCi 

the  Chancellor  to  affix  the  Great  Seal  to  Grants  ThsGrsat 

G^  A.  T 

and  other  instruments.     By  that  Statute,  of  which 
the  professed  object  was  to  secure  certain  fees  to 
the  Clerks  of  the   Signet,    it  was   enacted  "  that 
all  and  every  Gift,  Grant,  and  other  Writing  which 
shall  be  made  or  given  in  writing  by  the  King  to 
any  person,  signed  with  his  Sign  Manual,  to  be 
passed  under  any  of  his  Great  Seals  of  England, 
Ireland,  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster,  Counties  Pala- 
tine,-or  Principality  of  Wales,  or  by  other  process 
out  of  the   Exchequer,  and   that    all   and   every 
Gifts,  Grants,  and  other  Writings,  of  what  name 
or  quality  soever,  whereby  any  the  King's  officer 
or  officers  then  being,  or  which  might  afterwards 
be,  mi^t  by  virtue  of  any  Act  of  Parliament,  or 
any  the  King's  Grants  to  them  or  any  of  them 
made,^shaU  make  any  Grant  in  the  King's  name, 
to   he  passed   under  any  of  his  Majesty's  Seals, 
should    be    in    any  wisej  first,    and    before    the 
said  Grants  be  passed    under   any  of  the  King's 
saki  Seals,   or  other  process  made  of  the   same^ 
brought    and  delivered   to    the    King's   Principal 
Secretary,  or  to  one  of  the  King's  Clerks  of  his 
S^net,   to   be   at  the   said   Office   of  the  Signet 
passed  accordingly/'     The  Clerk   of  the   Signet, 
to  whom  any  of  the  said  writings  signed  by  the 
King,  or  by  the  hand  of  the  Officers  before  men- 
tioned might  be  brought,  was,  by  Warrant  of  the 
same  Bills,  within  eight  days  (unless  informed  by 
the  King's  Secretary  or  otherwise,  of  the  King's 
pleasure  to  the  contrary)  to  make,  in  the   King's 


Ccii  FBEFACE. 

The  Great  name.  Letters  of  Warrant  subscribed  by  the  said 

Clerk,  and  sealed  with  the  King's  Signet,  to  the 
Lord  Keeper  of  the  King's  Privy  Seal,  for  further 
process   to   be   had   in   that  behalf.      One  of  the 
Clerks  of  the  Privy  Seal,  upon   due  examination 
*^  had  by  the  Lord  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal  of  the 
Warrant  to  him  addressed  from  the  office  of  the 
Signet,  was,  within  eight  days  (unless  commanded 
to  the  contrary  by  the  Lord  Privy  Seal)  to  make, 
by  Warrant  of  the  aforesaid  Warrant  to  the  Lord 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal  from  the  office  of  the 
Signet,  other  Letters  of  like  warranty,  subscribed 
with   the  name  of  the   said  Clerk   of  the  Privy 
Seal,  to  the  Lord  Chancellor   of  England,    Lord 
Keeper,    Chancellor   of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster, 
Chancellor   of  Ireland,   or   other  Officer,  for   the 
writing   and   ensealing    with    the    Seals   in    their 
custody  respectively,  of  Letters  Patent  or  closed, 
or  other  process  making,  due,  and  requisite  to  be 
had  or  made  upon  any  the  said  Grants,  accord- 
ing to  the  tenor  of  the  Warrant  to  them  or  any 
of  them   directed  from  the  Officer  of  the  Privy 
Seal."     A  penalty  of  ten  pounds  was  to  be  im- 
posed upon  all  Clerks  or  other  persons  for  making 
or  obtaining  any  Writing  or  Warrant   upon    any 
Gift  or  Grant  made  by   the    King  to  be  passed 
under   any  of  the   said    Seals  "  after    any    other 
"  sort,  manner,  or  fashion,  or  by  any  other  War- 
"  rants  than  as  are  therein  specified."     Provision 
was  then  made  for  the  payment  of  fees  in   cases 
where  Grants   were  passed  by  "  Immediate  War- 


PREFACE.  cciii 

"  rant"  ^     From  this  Act  were  excepted  all  War-  The  Gmat 

rants  or  Precepts  which  the  Lord  Treasurer,  by 

virtue  of  his  Office,  might   direct  immediately  to 

the  Lord  Chancellor,  or  to  any  other  person  for 

making  the  King's  Grants  or  Letters  Patent  to  any 

person  of  any  Offices  or  Lands  in  his  gift ;  and  it 

was  provided,  that   the  Lord  Chancellor  "  might 

^^  at  all  times   use  his  discretion  in  passing  and 

"  speeding   any   thing    by   the   Great   Seal,    and 

"  delivering  the  same,  without  paying  any  fees  for 

"  the  Great   Seal,  Signet,  and  Privy  Seal,  as  the 

'^  case   of  necessity   shall  require,    and    as    hath 

"  been  accustomed ;  and  that  the  Clerks  for  writ- 

"  ing  or   procuring   such  Writings    and  Patents, 

"  by  his  commandment,  should  be  discharged  of 

"  all  penalties  for  not  receiving  and  paying  fees 

"  to  the  Signet  and  Privy  Seal."     It  was  declared 

that  the  Act  should  "not   be  prejudicial  to   any 

"  person  whom  the  King  shall,  by  express  com- 

"  mandment,  direct,  send,  or  appoint  to  procure 

"  any  thing  to  be  sealed  with  any  of  his  Seals, 

"  for  or  concerning  his  Majesty's  private  affairs, 

"  or  the   affairs  of  his  Realm,'*  which  might  be 


^  Aa  ^'  Immediate  Warrant "  is  the  King's  written  command  to  pass 
the  Bill,  on  which  it  is  expressed,  without  delay.  Its  effect  is  to  render 
the  attachment  of  the  Signet  and  of  the  Privy  Seal  unnecessary,  it  being 
merely  stated  on  the  Bill  itself,  by  the  Clerk  of  the  Signet,  and  the 
Clerk  of  the  Privy  Seal,  that  it  has  passed  through  those  Offices.  This 
notification  is,  therefore,  tantamount,  so  far  as  the  responsibility  of 
the  Lord  Privy  Seal  is  concerned,  to  a  Warrant  of  Privy  Seal,  and 
forms  a  sufficient  guarantee  to  the  Lord  Chancellor  that  the  measure 
has  received  the  sanction  of  that  Officer. 


Thb  Great  obtained  without  such  person  being  bound  to  pro- 
cure any  manner  of  Warrant  or  paying  any  fees ; 
and  it  was  also  provided  that  the  Act  should  not 
affect  grants  of  leases  of  farms  under  the  yearly 
value  of  £6.  ISs.  4d' 

Although  the  Statute  of  the  27th  of  Hen^  VIIL 
seems  to  have  rendered  it  imperative  for  all  Crown 
Grants^  (except  those  therein  excepted)  to  pro- 
ceed upon  a  Warrant  under  the  Signet  to  the 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  whose  Warrant  be- 
comes the  authority  to  the  Great  Seal,  both  Lord 
Coke  and  Mr.  Justice  Blackstone  speak  of  Letters 
Patent  "  being  passed  by  Bill  signed,  without  Privy 
"  Seal  ^;"  notwithstanding  that  the  former  of  these 
learned    writers    has,   in    another    of  his   works, 

1  Stat.27Heii.VIIL  c-ll. 

2  AmoDg  the  charges  brought  against  CardiDal  Wolsey,  as  Lord  Chan- 
cellor, seven  years  before  this  Statute^  two  were  that  he  had  affixed,  the 
Great  Seal  to  a  Commission  and  to  Licences  without  the  King's  Warrant 
or  Commandment.  (4  Inst.  pp.  89,  90.)  When  the  new  Court  of  Aug- 
mentations was  about  to  be  created,  it  was  proposed  that  all  Grants 
made  by  its  authority  should  pass  under  its  own  Seal  only;  upon 
which  Wriothesley,  the  Lord  Chancellor,  wrote  to  the  King's  Principal 
Secretary,  stating  that  by  such  a  regulation  "  the  estimation  of  the 
*<  Court  of  the  Chancery,  and  of  the  Great  Seal  of  England,  shall 
<'  thereby  so  much  decay,  as  my  firm  trust  is,  hb  Majesty,  who  of 
<<  his  own  goodness  made  me  his  Chancellor,  will  not  suffer  it  to  do  in 
"  my  time ;"  and  he  prayed  the  King  <<  to  preserve  the  course  of  his  most 
"  ancient  Court  and  Seal,  with  the  poor  estimation  and  living  of  his 

Ministers,  as  it  fall  not  now  to  the  ground,  which  sithens  the  Con- 
quest hath  been  ever  specially  preserved."    The  Chancellor's  prin- 
cipal motive  was,  evidently,  lo  prevent  the  loss  of  fees  to  himself  and 
the  Officers  of  his  Court  which  would  ensue  from  the  proposed  alteration* 
(State  Papers,  vol.  L  p.  882.) 

3  8  Co.  i  8  b. ;  Commentaries,  voL  ii.  p.  34f6. 


it 


{ 


PREFACE.  CCV 

alluded  to  this  gradation  of  Offices  as  shewing  ThbGrbat 
"  the  wisdom  of  prudent  antiquity^/'  whilst  the 
latter  mentions  a  "  variety  of  Offices,  commu- 
"  nicating  in  a  regular  subordination  one  with 
"  another,  through  which  all  the  King's  grants 
"  must  passV'  in  the  very  same  page  in  which  he 
points  out  an  exception  to  the  practice.  It  was 
therefore  desirable  to  ascertain,  by  inquiries  at  the 
proper  Offices,  what  Patents  now  pass  the  Great 
Seal,  without  the  intervention  of  the  Signet,  or 
Privy  Seal;  and  it  appears  that  the  only  instru- 
ments of  the  nature  of  a  Grant  under  the  Great 
Seal,  for  which  a  Warrant  of  Privy  Seal  is  not 
required,  are  those  for  the  appointment  of  the 
Judges  ^  the  Attorney  and  Solicitor  General,  King's 
Seqeants*,  Kings  Counsel,  and  the  Officers  for  the 
conservation  of  the  River  Thames/   The  Warrants 

I  Second  Institute,  p.  556 ;  vide  p.  clxxxvi,  arUea, 
s  Commentaries,  vol.  iL  p,  546.  Lord  Coke  does  not  appear  to  have 
considered  this  subject  with  his  usual  attention,  when  he  adverted  to  it 
in  loB  Eighth  Report,  for  he  there  says  that  **  if  the  words  *  authoritate 
**  ^Flurliamenti'  be  added  to  a  Patent,  then  it  passes  according  to  the  Act 
^  of  27  Heil.VUI.  c.  11 ;"  whereas  those  words  were  added  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Statute  of  the  18th  Hen.  VI.,  nearly  one  Hundred  yeart 
h^brt.     Vide  p.  clzxr,  antecu 

*  The  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  England  is  not,  however,  appointed  by 
Patent,  but  is  commanded  to  take  upon  himself  that  Office,  by  a  Writ 
under  the  Great  Seal.  (Fourth  Institute,  pp.  74,  75.)  The  Patents 
appointing  the  Master  of  the  RoDs,  Vice-Chancellor,  and  Masters  in 
Giaocery  are  issued  pursuant  to  Warrants  of  Privy  SeaL 

<  Seijeants  at  Law  are  called  by  Writ  under  Warrants  prepared  in  the 
Crown  Office,  and  signed  by  the  King.   Vide  12th  Report,  p.  70. 

<  The  following  are  said  to  be  the  only  Instruments  (and  they  cer- 
tainly are  soy  as  far  as  concerns  the  Crown  Office),  which  now  pass  the 
Great  Seal,  pursuant  to  Warrants  signed  by  the  Kingi  without  War- 


ccvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  upon  which  the  Letters  Patent  for  those  Offices 

issue,  are  prepared  at  the  Crown  Office,  by  the 
Chancellor's  order,  and  he  obtains  the  King's 
Signature  to  them,  without  their  passing  through 

rants  of  Privy  Seal,  and  without  being  entered  either  at  the  Office  of 
Privy  Seal  or  of  the  Signet. 

Patents,  appointing  the  Chief  Justices  and  Chief  Baron ;  the 
Puisne  Judges  and  Pubne  Barons,  and  the  Cursitor  Baroo; 
the  Attorney  and  Solicitor  General,  and  the  Attorney  General 
in  Wales;    King's   Counsel;    King's   Serjeants;  for  granting 
Precedence  to  Counsel;  and  for  appointing  Custodes  Rotu- 
lorum  for  Counties  and  Towns. 
Commissions,  for  opening  and  proroguing  Parliament;  forgiving 
the   Royal  Assent  to  Bills ;  for   appointing   Speakers  of  the 
House  of  Lords ;  for  approving  of  Speakers  of  the  House  of 
Commons ;  for  appointing  certain  of  the  Judges  and  Masters 
in  Chancery  to  sit  in  the  Court  of  Chancery  to  hear  causes, 
&C.,  in  the  absence  of  the  Lord  Chancellor,  which  is  called 
the  Chancery  Commission. 
Warrants,  for  regulating  the  Precedency  of  Serjeants  at  Law, 
and  for  appointing  a  Baron  of  the  Exchequer  to  sit  on  the 
Equity  side  of  that  Court,  in  the  absence  of  the  Chief  Baron, 
are  signed  by  the  King,  but  no  Letters  Patent  are  issued 
thereupon. 
From  the  Patent  Office  no  Instruments  of  any  kind  pass  the  Great 
Seal,  without  a  Warrant  of  Privy  Seal.    There  are,  however,  several 
Commissions,  sealed  with  the  Great  Seal  and  prepared  in  the  Crown 
Office,  for  which  the  direct  authority  W  the  King  is  not  necessary,  as 
they  are  prepared  and  receive  the  Great  Seal  upon  the  fiat  of  the  Lord 
Chancellor  only ;  viz..  Commissions  for  holding  the  Circuits  in  England 
and  Wales ;  Commissions  of  Peace  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Wales ; 
Special  Commissions  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  for  the  trial  of  prisoners 
under  certain  circumstances^  and  other  Commissions  for  the  Adminis- 
tration of  Justice.    Although  Patents  appointing  the  Judges  in  England 
(except  the  Master  of  the  Rolb  and  Vice-chancellor)  pass  without 
Warrants  of  Privy  Seal,  such  Warrants  are  issued  for  granting  Patents 
of  the  Offices  of  Chief  Justices  and  Puisne  Judges  in  India.  The  Judges 
in  the  Colonies  are  appointed  by  a  Royal  Warrant  which  issues  from  the 
Colonial  Office. 


PREFACE.  ccvii 

the  Secretary  of  State's,  or  Lord  Privy  SeaVs  THBGRBAt 
Office.  As  the  clause  in  the  Statute  of  the 
27th  Hen.  VIII.  relating  to  the  Lord  Chancellor, 
only  gives  him  power  to  dispense  with  the  pay- 
ment of  fees,  the  custom  of  Patents  of  appoint- 
ments to  the  situations  above  mentioned  passing 
the  Great  Seal,  without  Warrant  of  Privy  Seal  is, 
probably,  derived  from  prescription,  and,  like  the 
power  of  affixing  the  Great  Seal  to  Writs  of  Sum- 
mons to  Pariiament^,  and  to  Writs  and  Com- 
missions connected  with  the  Chancery,  must, 
perhaps,  be  considered  incidental  to  the  Office 
itself.  The  authority  of  the  Lord  Chancellor  to 
pass  certain  Grants  of  Pardon  without  first  taking 
the  King's  pleasure  thereupon,  is  recognized  by 
the  Parliamentary  Proceeding  of  the  13th  Ric.  11. 
1389,  before  alluded  to^;  and  it  is  likely  that 
many  other  privileges  of  a  similar  nature  formerly 
belonged  to  that  Functionary. 

The  duties  of  the  Lord  Privy  Seal  are  con- 
sequently of  a  highly  important  character,  though 

I  Writs  of  Summons  to  Peers  to  attend  Parliament,  on  succeeding  to 
the  FeengCy  are  issued  upon  the  written  order  of  the  Lord  Chancellor 
to  the  Clerk  of  the  Crown,  after  his  Lordship  is  satisfied,  by  evidence,  of 
the  r^ht  of  the  party  to  the  dignity.  Writs  of  Summons  to  newly 
created  Peers  are  issued  by  the  Clerk  of  the  Crown  upon  the  production 
of  the  Patent  of  Creation,  which  is  considered  his  authority,  without 
any  order  from  the  Lord  Chancellor. 

For  the  information  contained  in  these  notes,  the  Editor  is  principally 
indebted  to  the  obliging  communications  of  Mr.  Jackson  of  the  Crown 
Office,  Mr.  Ruscoe  of  the  Patent  Ofice,  and  Mr.  Goodwin  of  the 
Privy  Seal  Office. 

Vide  p.  clzxxiv,  antea. 


ccviii  PREPACK- 

Thh  Great  that  Office  is  now,  erroneously,  supposed  to  involve 
little  or  no  responsibility.  In  the  reign  of  Henry 
the  Sixth  it  was  his  duty,  on  receiving  the  King's 
Warrant  under  the  Signet,  if  the  matter  was  of 
great  weight,  to  communicate  it  to  the  Council 
before  he  issued  a  Warrant  to  the  Great  Seal  for 
carrying  it  into  effect  *;  and  Lord  Coke  says,  "  This 
^^  is  an  Office  of  great  trust  and  skill,  that  he  put 
"  this  Seal  to  no  Grant  without  good  Warrant,  nor 
"  with  Warrant  if  it  be  against  Law,  undue,  or 
^^  inconvenient,  but  that  first  he  acquaint  the  King 
«  therewith."^ 

From  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  the  usage,  with  respect  to  Letters  Patent, 
has  been  consistent  with  the  Statute ;  and  it  was  thus 
described  by  one  of  the  Under  Secretaries  of  State 
for  the  Home  Department®  to  the  Parliamentary 
Committee  on  the  Public  Records  in  1801 :  — 

"  Some  Warrants  are  only  signed  by  the  King 
"  and  countersigned  by  the  Secretary  of  State  and 
<*  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury ;  and  a  Warrant  of 
**  this  sort  is  called  a  Sign  Manual.  All  Warrants 
^  for  Crown  Grants  which  pass  the  Great  Seal,  and 
"  which  arise  in  the  Offices  of  the  Secretary  of 
"  State  or  of  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the 
"  Treasury,  are  signed  by  the  King,  and  counter- 
"  signed  by  such  Secretary,  or  three  or  more  of 
"  such  Lords,  and  are  directed  to  the  Attorney  Ge- 
"  neral  only,  to  the  Attorney  or  Solicitor  General, 


1  p.  S19,  poHea.  3  Fourth  Institute^  p.  55. 

3  William  Pollock,  Esquire. 


PREFACE.  ccix 

"  or  to  both^;  in  the  first  case  all  respecting  the  The  Gr  bat 
"  Peerage  only,  in  the  second  on  all  ordinary  occa- 
^  sions,  and  in  the  third  on  grants  of  Charters. 

^  The  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  the  Earl  Mar- 
^  shal,  and  the  Lord  Chamberlain  of  the  House*- 
"  hold,  issue  their  Warrants  (not  signed  by  the  King) 
"  to  the  Attorney  or  Solicitor  General  for  pre- 
^  paring  Bills  for  the  grant  of  Offices  under  their 
**  patronage,  which  pass  the  Great  Seal ;  and  which 
^  (after  the  Attorney  or  Solicitor  General  have 
"  signed  them)  have  also,  in  like  manner,  the 
"  King's  signature  procured  through  the  Secre- 
**  tary  of  State. 

"  These  Warrants  require  those  Law  Officers 

(or  Officer)  to  prepare  a  Bill  *  for  Our  Royal  sig- 

^  nature,  containing  our  Grant  unto  our  trusty, 

"  •  &€•  of  the  Office  or  Place,'  &c, ;  and  in  most 

cases  direct — ^  and  you  are  to  insert  therein  all 

such  clauses  and  provisoes  as  you  shall  think 

necessary.'     In  others,  as  in  Commissions  to 

•*  Governors  of  Plantations,  they  are  directed  to 

^  prepare  a  Bill  for  the  Royal  signature  ^  in  the 

^  '  words  or  to  the  effect  following,'  and  no  lati- 

^  tude  is  left  to  them,  as  the  form  of  such  Com- 

^  missions  must  have  been   settled   many  years 

"  since.     The  same  rule  is  observed  in  all  grants 

"  of  Charters  ;  but  drafts  of  such  Charters  are  pre- 

**  viously    settled    by    such    Law  Officers,   on   a 


4« 


1  It  has  not  been  ascertained  when  the  practice  of  issuing  Warrants  to 
the  Law  Officers  of  the  Crown  to  prepare  Bills  commenced,  but  probably 
soon  after  the  Revolution  of  16S9. 


VOL.  VI. 


QQx  PR£FAC£« 

The  Great  "  reference  and  direction  to  their  report  upon  the 

"  application  made  for  the  same. 

"  The  Grants  of  ordinary  Preferments  in  the 
**  Church  are  an  exception  to  this  rule,  as  the 
^  Warrants  signed  by  the  King  for  such  are  directed 
"  in  like  manner  *to  the  Clerk  of  the  Signet 
"  *  attending  to  prepare  a  Bill  granting,'  &c.,  and 
*^  the  Attorney  or  Solicitor  General  have  no  con- 
^  cern  therein. 

"  When  such  Bill  is  prepared  and  signed  by 
^  those  Law  Ofl&cers  (or  Officer),  the  person  em- 
"  ployed  as  solicitor  brings  it  to  the  Secretary  of 
"  State's  ofl&ce  for  the  King's  signature  being 
"  obtained  to  it.  It  is  there  called  the  Attorney 
"  General's  Bill  (or  the  Attorney  and  Solicitor 
"  General's,  as  the  case  may  be) ;  the  person  em- 
"  ployed  as  solicitor  takes  it  from  thence,  when 
"  signed  by  the  King,  to  the  Signet  Office,  where 
^^  it  is  called  the  King's  Bill,  and  is  there  deposited 
^  and  remains  on  record;  an  attested  transcript 
"  thereof,  under  the  hand  of  the  clerk  or  deputy 
**  attending,  being  made  and  handed  over  to  the 
"  Privy  Seal  Office,  with  a  direction  preceding  to 
^  it,  addressed  to  the  Lord  Privy  Seal,  that  ^he 
"  *  cause  these  our  Letters  to  be  directed  to  our 
"  '  Chancellor  of  Great  Britain,  commanding  him 
^*  *  that  under  our  Great  Seal  of  Great  Britain  (in 
^  ^  his  custody  being)  he  cause  these  our  Letters 
"  *  to  be  made  forth  Patent  in  form  following;' 
"  and  at  the  foot  of  this  instrument, — '  and  these 
"  <  our  Letters  shall  be  your  sufficient  warrant  and 


PREFACE.  ccxi 

^  *  discharge.      Given   under  our  Signet  at  our  ThbGrbat 

^  *  palace  at  Westminster  the         day  of 

^  *  in  the  year  of  our  reign.'     To  this 

^  instrument  the  King's  Signet  (being  one  of  the 

^  Seals  in  the  hands  of  the  Secretary  of  State) 

^  is  affixed*     This   is  the  Warrant  to  the  Lord 

^  Friyy  Seal,  and  remains  in  his  hands ;  a  similar 

^  transcript^  with  the  addition  at  the  head  of  it, 

"  — *  addressed  to  the  Lord  Chancellor,  to  cause 

^  *  Letters  Patent  to  be  passed  conformably  thereto 

"  *  under  the  Great  Seal,'  has  the  Privy  Seal  affixed 

«  to  it ;  which  instrument  is  lodged  at  the  proper 

"  Office  in  Chancery  (the  Crown  Office  or  that  of 

"  the  Clerk  of  the  Letters  Patent),  where  it   is 

^  opened,  the   Privy  Seal  is   taken   off,   and  an 

engrossment   is  made   of  it     The   instrument 

called   the  Privy    Seal,   being  marked   in   that 

^  Office  with    the   day   it   is    left,   is,    with    the 

^  ^grossment  for  the  Great  Seal  to  be  affixed  to, 

^  left  at  the  Lord  Chancellor's ;  and  if  his  Lord- 

•*  diip  sees  no  objection  to  the  Grant  he  writes 

^  his  name  under ;  and  this  is  called  ^  the  Kecepi,' 

"^  and  the  Great  Seal  is  then  affixed,  which  com- 

^  pletes   the  Grant.     The   instrument  called  the 

^  Privy  Seal,  being  returned  to  the  Office  which 

•*  ^igrossed  it  for  the  Great  Seal,    after  a   cer- 

•*  tain  time  is  removed  to  the  Petty  Bag,  and  so 

**  on  to  the  Rolls,  and  remains  on  record."^ 

1  Fint  Beport  from  the  Select  Committee  appointed  to  inquire  into 
the  State  of  the  Pnblic  Records  of  the  Kingdom.  Ordered  by  the 
House  of  Lords  to  be  printed  ISth  March  1801.  p.  78. 

o2 


u 

M 


ccxii  PREFACE. 

TheGrbax  An  erasure  or  interlineation   in  the  King's 

Bill  or  Letter  Missive  to  the  Chancellor  seems,  for- 
merly, to  have  affected  its  validity.  Edward  the 
Fourth  having,  about  the  year  1470,  ordered  a 
*'  Diet'*  to  be  kept  at  Alnwick  for  the  reformation 
of  attempts  against  the  truce  with  Scotland,  the 
Chancellor  was  commanded,  bv  Letters  Missive, 
to  issue  the  usual  proclamations;  and  after  the 
date  the  following  passage  occurs : — 

"  Over  this  We  send  to  you  herein  closed  a 
Bill,  signed  with  Our  hand,  containing  the  tenor 
of  a  Commission  for  the  Diet  to  be  kept   the 
"  day  abovesaid,  wherein  We  will  that  ye  put  in 
"  the  quorum  the  Bishops  of  Durham  and  Saint 
^^  Asaph ;  and  how  be  it  that  the  same  Bill  is  rased 
"  and   interlined,    not   seeming    effectual  for  your 
*^  Warrant,  We  will  that  you  do  make  out  our  Com- 
"  mission,  and  name  the  said  Bishops  in  the  quo- 
«  rum,  and  that  ye  do  make  out  our  safe-conduct 
^*  for  the  Commissioners  of  Scotland,  according  to 
"  the  names  which  we  sent  unto  ye  from  our  town 
"  of  Northampton ;  and  these  our  Letters  shall  be 
"  to  you  Warrant  sui&cient  in  that  behalf.     Given 
"  under  our  Signet  at  Ludlow,  the  26th  day  of 
May  abovesaid.     We   send  unto  you  herein  a 
Bill  of  directions  for  the  hasty  expedience  and 
sending  forth  of  all  the  matters  abovesaid,  which 
"  we  desire  and  pray  you  hastily  to  put,  and  other- 
^*  wise  as  our  very  trust  is  in  you."^ 


Ex  orig.  in  Turr.  Lond. 


PREFACE.  ccxiii 

It  was  not  usual  for  the  King  himself  to  sign  Thb  Great 
his  Letters.       They  were   authenticated  by   the      ^"^* 
Signet  only;    and  whenever  the   King  did  affix 
his   Signature,  it    was  to    impart    greater    force 
to  them.       Some    instances   of  the  King  having 
placed  his  Signature  to  Letters  have  been  cited, 
to  which  will  be   added  a  remarkable  case  that 
occurred  in  1449,  when  Henry  the  Sixth  affixed 
his  initials,  at  the  head  and  foot  of  an  Ordinance  ^ 
to  the  Treasurer  and  Chamberlains  of  the  Exche- 
quer, stating,   that  "to  the  intent  that  the  said 
"  Treasurer    and  Chamberlains    shall    more  well 
^  understand  and  know,  that  it  is  the  King's  full 
"  will  and  commandment  that  the  things  above- 
"  said,   and  every  of   them,   be  fully   done    and 
"  executed,  the  King  hath  signed  this  Act  with 
^  his  own  hand.*'  ^ 

ITiough  only  one  example®  has  been  found  of 
the  King's  having  signed  a  Letter  of  Privy  Seal^ 
there  may,  probably,  be  others ;  but  it  certainly 
was  less   usual   for  him   to  do   so  than   to   sign 
Letters  Missive.     On  all  occasions  when  the  Trea- 
surer and  Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer  were 
directed   to   make   any   payments,   they   received 
Letters    under   the    Privy    Seal,   and   not    under 
the   Signet ;    and  the  greater   degree   of   impor- 
tance which  was  attached  to  the  former  than  to 

1  In  the  instances  of  Messages  from  the  King  to  Parliament  it  is  still 
the  custom  for  his  Majesty  to  affix  his  signature  at  the  foot  as  well  as  at 
the  head  of  the  Message. 

2  p,  87,  postea.  »  p.  234',  postetu 

O  3 


ccxiv  PREFACE. 

The  Great  the  latter,  is   manifested  by  the  Minutes  of  the 

Council  in  October  1442,  when  Letters  to  the 
Duke  of  York,  fixing  the  day  on  which  he  and 
the  other  English  Ambassadors  were  to  meet  those 
of  France  (with  whom  they  had  been  previously 
appointed  to  treat  for  peace,)  atnd  Letters  to  Lord 
Sudeley,  the  Chamberlain,  who  was  also  abroad^ 
were  ordered  to  be  passed  under  the  Signet^  whilst 
Letters  to  the  Lord  Marchers,  commanding  them 
to  make  good  ordinances  and  rules  to  prevent 
riots  in  the  Marches,  were  issued  under  the  Privy 
SeaV 

The  King's  Letters  generally  commenced 
f*  Depar  le  Roi,"  or  "  By  the  King,''  a  style  which 
was  used  by  no  other  person,  except  the  Prince 
of  Wales,  who,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Fourth, 
began  his  Letters  to  the  Council  **  Depar  le 
^  Prince  V'  but  he  does  not  appear  to  have  done 
50  when  addressing  the  King*^ 

The  Answers  to  Petitions  were  commonly, 
but  not  always,  written  at  the  head,  and  signed 
by  a  Member  of  the  Council  *,  who,  in  the  reign 
of  Henry  the  Fifth  and  Sixth,  was  generally  the 
Chamberlain/  On  some  occasions  Henry  the 
Fifth  signified  his   pleasure   on  Petitions   in  his 

1  Plroceedings  of  the  Council,  toL  v.  p.  215* 

3  KM.  voL  L  pp.  231>  233  ;  vol.  iL  pp.  61,  62. 

3  Ibid.  vol.  i.  p.  229. 
.    *  Ibid.  vol.  L  pp.  77,  78,  89,  94s  96,  et  passim ;  voL  ii.  pp.  113,  114. 

5  Ibid,  volii.  pp.  140, 170,  311,  338,  339-342;  voLiii.  p.  99;  voL  v. 
pp.  85,  112,  115;  vol  vi.  p.  326. 


PxlCrAC£k  CCXV 

own  handwriting  ^;  but  there  are  numerous  Peti-  Ths  Great 
tions  in  the  Tower,  which  were  not  signed  by  any 
one,  though  the  King's  Answers  are  expressed  in 
them,  and  though  they  were  sent  to  the  Chancellor 
to  issue  Letters  Patent  upon  them. 

Bills  to  the  Chancellor  commonly,  though  not 
always,  bore  the  signature  either  of  the  Clerk  of 
the  Crown,  or  of  one  of  the  Clerks  of  the  Signet ; 
and  it  may  be  inferred  from  the  Ordinance  made 
m  the  22nd  Hen.  VI.,  that  the  authority  for  affixing 
the  Signet  to  all  instruments  was  then  derived 
immediately  from  the  King,  through  his  Secre- 
tary.* 

It  was  usual  to  affix  all  his  Majesty's  Seals 
to  instruments  of  a  very  important  nature,  such  as 
Treaties,  Instructions  to  Ambassadors  ^  the  King's 
Will,  &C.,   which  were   accordingly   often   sealed 
with  the  Great  Seal,  the  Privy  Seal,  and  the  Signet, 
and  with  any  other  Seal  which  related  to  the  ter- 
ritories mentioned  therein.   Henry  the  Sixth  sealed 
his  Will  with  his  Great  Seal,  the  Seal  of  the  Duchy 
of  Lancaster,  the  Seal  which   he  had   appointed 
for  the  Castles  and  Lands  which  he  had  put  in 
feoffi[nent,  as  well  as  with   the   Signet  which  he 
himself  used  in  his  own  government  of  the  said 
Duchy,  and  with   the  Signet  of  his  Arms ;   and 


1  Proceedings  of  the  Council,  toL  iL  pp.  d02,  S04>  315. 
^  p.  318,/MWfea. 

^  Among  numerous  examples  of  this  practice,  see  Proceedings  of  the 
Council,  ToL  L  pp.  172,  240;   vol  iL  pp.  24,  202;    and  the  Foedera, 

/XUltflf. 

O  4 


Gcxvi  PREFACE. 

The  Great  the  Will  of  Henry  the  Seventh  was  sealed  with 

his  Privy  Seal,  his  Signet  which  was  in  the  cus- 
tody of  his  Secretary,  his  Privy  Signet  of  the 
Eagle,  which  was  in  his  own  keeping,  and  with 
the  Great  Seal. 

Considerable  importance  was  given  to  the 
Royal  Sign  Manual,  and  to  the  Signet,  in  the  27th 
of  Henry  VHI.  by  a  Statute  S  which  provided  that 
if  any  person  should  forge  and  counterfeit  the 
King's  Sign  Manual,  Privy  Signet,  or  Privy  Seal, 
such  oiFence  should  be  adjudged  High  Treason ;  and 
that  the  offenders^  their  counsellors,  procurers, 
aiders,  and  abettors,  convicted  of  the  same,  should 


1  Stat  27  Hen.  VIIL  c  2.  The  following  facts  shew  the  importance 
which  was  attached  to  the  Signet  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth. 
In  June  1543,  the  Council  with  the  King  |  informed  their  colleagues  in 
London,  that  to  the  intent  they  might  have  all  things  at  hand  there 
for  levying  men  for  the  army  about  to  be  sent  to  France,  '^  and  for  the 
f^  expedition  of  other  things  requisite  in  this  behalf,  His  Majesty  hath 
**  commanded  as  well  me,  the  Lord  Privy  Seal,  to  send  unto  your  Lord- 
*<  ships  the  Stamp,  as  me  the  Secretary  to  send  unto  you,  my  Lord 
'<  Chamberlain  of  Household,  His  Majesty's  Signet,  requiring  you,  my 
'<  said  Lord  Chamberlain,  as  soon  as  you  shall  have  dispatched  the 
*<  Letters  for  the  purpose  abovesaid,  to  send  unto  me,  the  said  Secretary, 
**  the  Signet  again,  by  a  trusty  messenger ;  because  the  use  of  the  same 
**  here  is  necessary,  both  for  His  Majesty's  causes,  and  also  for  the  private 
<*  suites  and  matters  of  his  subjects.''  A  few  days  afterwards,  the 
Council  in  London,  in  a  letter  to  the  Council  with  the  King,  stated, 
that  '<  the  Lord  Admiral  hath  been  with  us,  and  hath  brought  unto  ua 
«  a  Warrant  signed  with  the  King*s  Highness  hand.  And  forasmuch  as 
«  we  sent  to  you,  yesterday,  the  Signet  back  again,  we  have  thought 
"  good  to  send  abo  the  Warrant  again  to  you,  which  it  may  like  you 
♦*  to  cause  to  be  signed,  and  to  be  sent  to  us,  with  all  diligence,  who  will 
«  immediately  make  the  direction  of  the  same  accordingly."  State 
Papers,  vol.  i.  pp.  746,  74-7,  755. 


PREFACE.  ccxvii 

be  condemned  and  adjudged  traitors  against  the  TnEGREAt 
King  and  the  Kealm,  and  suffer  the  usual  pains  of 
death  and  forfeitures,  as  in  cases  of  High  Treason 
is  ordained.  On  the  accession  of  Edward  the 
Sixdi,  the  penalties  of  High  Treason  were  taken 
away  from  many  offences ;  but  that  of  forging  the 
Koyal  Sign  Manual,  Privy  Signet,  or  Privy  Seal  was 
specially  excepted.^  Queen  Mary,  immediately 
after  she  ascended  the  throne,  in  her  anxiety 
to  render  herself  more  popular  than  her  prede- 
cessor, swept  away  the  penalties  of  High  Treason 
from  all  crimes  which  were  not  declared  to  be  such 
by  the  Statute  of  the  25th  Edw.  IH,  ^;  but  the 
necessity  of  rendering  it  High  Treason  to  counter-^ 
feit  the  Coin  of  the  Kealm,  or  the  Queen's  Sign 
Manual,  Privy  Signet,  or  Privy  Seal,  caused  aix 
Act  to  be  passed  for  that  purpose,  only  a  few 
months  afterwards.^ 

Before  concluding  these  remarks  on  the  King's 
Seals  it  ought  to  be  added,  that  on  occasions  when 
the  Signet  was  not  at  hand,  it  was  usual  to  substi-» 
tute  one  of  the  King's  other  small  Seals  for  it ;  but 
the  circumstance  was  usually  noticed  in  the  Letter 
or  Bill  itself.  Thus,  a  Letter  from  Henry  the  Fiflh, 
dated  at  Dover  on  the  8th  of  June  1421,  is  said  to 
have  been  "  Given  under  our  Signet  of  the  Eagle  iik 


I  Stat.  1  Edw.  VI.  c.  12.  §  8.  It  is  erroneously  stated  in  Ruffliead*s 
edition  of  the  statutes,  vol.  ii.  p.  210,  that  the  statute  27  Hen.  VIII.  c.  2, 
respecting  the  Sign  Manual,  Privy  Signet,  and  Privy  Seal  was  rtpealed 
by  Stat.  1  Edw.  VI.  c.  12. 

^  Stat  1  Mar.  c.  L  '  Stat  1  Mar.  sessio  secunda,  c.6. 


ccxviii  PREFACE. 

The  Grbat  «  the  absence  of  our  other  *;"  and  it  would  appear 
from  an  order  of  the  Council  in  May  1454,  that 
the  Chancellor  of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster  had  been 
commanded  not  to  consider  any  Letter  his  proper 
Warrant  for  matters  concerning  certain  of  the 
Duchy  lands,  if  it  were  sealed  with  any  other  Seal 
than  the  Signet  of  the  Eagle  ;  and  he  was  informed 
that  the  Privy  Seal  was  thenceforward  not  only  to 
be  a  sufficient  authority  to  him,  but  he  was  directed 
to  obey  no  other  Warrants  than  such  as  were  under 
the  Privy  Seal.^ 

Three  Seals  are  said  to  be  now  delivered  to  each 
Secretary  of  State  by  the  King  on  his  appointment ; 
namely,  "  the  Signet,"  which  contains  the  Royal 
Arms  and  Supporters ;  another  Seal,  of  a  smaller 
size,  having  an  escutcheon  of  the  King's  Arms 
only ;  and  a  still  smaller  Seal,  called  "the  Cachet,'* 
which  is  similarly  engraved.  The  use  of  the 
Signets  has  been  already  pointed  out;  and  the 
circumstance  of  their  being  constantly  required  in 
the  Signet  Office  for  Warrants  to  the  Privy  Seal, 
probably  caused  the  existence  of  the  second  Seal 
above  mentioned,  which  always  remains  in  the 
Secretary  of  State's  Offices,  and  is  affixed  to  the 
instruments  which  receive  the  Royal  Signature, 
and  which,  but  for  the  reason  just  stated,  would 
pass  under  the  Signet.  The  Cachet  is  only  used 
for  sealing  the  King's  Letters  to  Sovereign  Princes, 
which  custom,  perhaps,  originated  from  the  incon- 


J  Ex  orig,  in  Turn  Lond.  2  p,  igg^  pasUa. 


LAIN, 


PREFACE.  CCXix 

Tenience  of  affixing  so  large  a  Seal  as  the  Signet,  Tae  Great 
or  its  substitute,  to  a  Letter. 


THE  KING'S  CHAMBERLAIN. 

It  is   not  generally  known  that  the  King's     King's 
Chamberlain,  or,  as  he  is  now  called,  the  Lord     «^*«""- 
Chamberlain  of  the  King's  Household,  in  addi- 
tioH  to   his  present    duties,  originally  performed 
others  of  a  very  different,  and  much  more  impor- 
tant character.^ 

From  the  earliest  periods  both  the  Great 
Chamberlain  of  England  and  the  King's  Cham- 
berlain, have  always  been  two  of  the  Principal 
Officers  of  State  ;  and  the  latter  was  for  some 
centuries  an  influential  member  of  the  Govern- 
ment. To  him  was  confided  the  responsible  duty 
of  indorsing  upon  all  Petitions  presented  to  the 
King,  his  Majesty's  answers ;  and  the  following 
facts  will   shew  the   consideration   in   which   the 


<  The  Office  of  Chamberlain,  instead  of  being,  as  is  sometimes  sup- 
posed, confined  to  the  mere  superintendence  of  chambers  and  ward- 
robes, was  generally  of  a  ^fiscal  nature.  Thus,  the  Chamberlains  of  the 
Exchequer  were  the  Comptrollers  of  the  pells,  receipts,  and  exitus 
of  the  King's  treasury,  to  whom,  conjointly  with  the  Treasurer,  all 
orders  for  the  receipt  and  payments  of  money  were  formerly  addressed. 
The  Chamberlains  of  London  and  Chester  are  the  Receivers  of  the 
Rerenues  of  those  Cities ;  and  such  also  were  the  principal  duties  of  the 
Chamberiains  of  Scotland,  of  North  and  South  Wales,  of  the  Duchy  of 
Lancaster;  of  Berwick,  Cardiganshire,  Caermarthenshire,  Shrewsbury^ 
and  other  places.  Blount  says,  <*  the  Latin  word  seems  to  express  the 
'*  functions  of  this  Officer;  for  Camerarius  dicitur  i  Camera,  i.e.  tes- 
**  tudine  (sive  fomice),  quia  custodit  pecunias,  quae  in  Cameris  praecipu^ 
*'  reaervantur." 


ccxx  PREFACE. 

King's     King's   Chamberlain  was  held,    and    the   impor- 

Chjlm  ber* 

LAIN,      tance   which  was    attached  to   that    part   of   his 
functions.        • 

The  King's  Chambeblain*  was  usually,  though 
not  always,  a  Peer  of  the  Realm ;  and  he  was 
frequently  the  organ  through  which  the  Royal 
pleasure  was  communicated  to  Parliaments  and  to 
the  Council.^  He  was  often  appointed  to  assist 
the  Triers  of  Parliamentary  Petitions^,  and  to  aid 
the  execution  of  Ordinances  made  by  the  King 
and  Council.*  In  the  15th  Edw.  III.  1341,  the 
Chamberlain  of  the  King's  Household,  with  the 
other  Officers  of  State,  was  ordered  to  be  sworn 
on  his  appointment,  to  keep  and  maintain  the 
Laws  of  the  land,  and  the  articles  of  the  Great 
Charter,  as  well  as  the  other  Statutes.^  Towards 
the  close  of  that  reign  Lord  Latimer  was  im- 
peached for  extortions  and  other  crimes  committed 
by  him  in  Brittany,  whilst  he  was  Chamberlaia 
and  a  Member  of  the  Privy  Council.® 

It  was  provided,  in  the  1st  year  of  Richard  the 
Second,  that  during  the  King's  minority  his  "  Chief 
^^  Chamberlain"  and  other  Great  Officers  should  be 


1  Among  the  earliest  Dotices  of  the  Chamberlain  is  a  record,  that  in 
the  9th  John,  1208,  the  King  had  received,  by  the  hands  of  Simon  the 
Chamberlain,  at  Waverley,  "  a  book  called  Pliny,"  which  had  been  ia 
the  custody  of  the  Abbot  and  Convent  of  Reading.  Rot.  Glaus.,  voL  i, 
p.  108. 

2  Rot.  Pari.,  18  Edw.  IT.,  25  Edw.  III.,  vol.ii.  pp.  150  b,  237. 
^  Ibid.  25  Edw.  III.,  et  passim. 

*  Ibid.  50,  51  Edw.  III.  vol.  iL  pp.  328,  363. 

*  Ibid.  p.  128.  6  Ibid.  50  Edw.  III.  vol.  ii.  p.  324  b- 


PREFACE.  ccxxi 

chosen  by  the  Lords  in  Parliament ;  to  which  the  Kino's 
Crown  assented,  saving  always  the  estate  and  inherit-  i^aik. 
ance  of  the  Earl  of  Oxford,  whose*  ancestor  had 
been  created  Great  Chamberlain  of  England,  to 
hold,  to  him  and  his  heirs,  the  said  office  of  Cham-* 
berlain.^  Three  years  after,  the  Commons  prayed 
that  the  five  Principal  Officers,  namely,  the  Chan- 
cellor, Treasurer,  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  "  Chief 
"  C!hamberlain*,"  and  Steward  of  the  King's  House- 
hold, might  be  chosen  in  that  Parliament  from  the 
ablest  persons  in  the  Realm,  and  be  continued 
in  office  until  the  next  Parliament.*  In  the 
11th  Ric.  IL,  Sir  Simon  de  Buriey,  who  had  been 
the  King's  Chamberlain,  was  impeached  for  having 
admitted  great  numbers  of  aliens  into  the  Royal 
Household,  and  for  having  made  divers  grants  to 
them*;  and  the  next  entry  on  the  Rolls  of  Parlia- 
ment on  the  subject,  in  the  13th  Ric.  IL  1389» 
shews  that  it  was  then,  and  had  probably  long  be- 
fore been,  the  custom  for  the  King's  Chamberlain  to 
indorse  Petitions  j  and  that  the  office  of  "  Sub"  or 
"  Under"  Chamberlain,  or,  as  it  was  afterwards 
called,  **  Vice  Chamberlain,"  then  existed. 

In  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  Com- 
mons in  that  year,  that  penalties  should  be  inflicted 
upon  those  Peers  and  other  personages  who  might 


1  Rot  Pari,  50  Edw.  III.  vol  iiL  p.  16. 

'  The  title  <<  Chief  Chamberlain"  seems  to  have  been  used  as  a  dis- 
tinction from  **  Under  Chamberlain/'  rather  than  as  indicating  the  Office 
of  Great  Chamberlain  of  England. 

^  Rot.  Pari.  3  Ric  II.,  voL  iii.  p.  73  b.  ^  Jhid.  p.  242. 


ccxxii  PREFACE. 

Chamber-  solicit  patdons  for  Certain  offences,  the  King,  after 
LAIN,  saving  his  rights  and  prerogatives^,  consented  that  if 
any  one  petitioned  him  for  a  Charter  of  Pardon 
for  the  offences  specified,  and  if  the  Chamberlain 
indorsed  such  Bill,  or  caused  it  to  be  indorsed,  he 
should  put  the  name  of  him  who  prayed  for  such 
Charter  upon  the  said  Bill,  under  a  penalty  of  one 
thousand  marks ;  that  if  the  Under-Chamberlain 
indorsed  such  Bill,  he  should  do  the  same,  under 
the  penalty  of  five  hundred  marks  ;  that  none  but 
the  Chamberlain  or  Under-Chamberlain  should  in- 
dorse such  Bills,  or  cause  them  to  be  indorsed, 
under  the  penalty  of  one  thousand  marks;  that 
such  Bill  should  be  sent  and  directed  to  the  Keeper 
of  the  Privy  Seal ;  that  no  Warrant  of  Privy  Seal 
should  be  issued  to  make  such  a  Charter,  unless  the 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal  received  a  Bill  for  that 
purpose,  indorsed  or  signed  by  the  Chamberlain  or 
Under-Chamberlain,  as  is  above  said ;  that  no 
Charter  of  Pardon  of  treason  or  other  felony  should 
jpass  the  Chancery  without  a  Warrant  of  Privy  Seal, 
except  in  cases  where  the  Chancellor  might  grant 
them  by  his  Office,  without  consulting  the  King ; 
and  that  the  penalties  proposed  by  the  Commons 
should  be  inflicted  upon  all  persons,  of  whatever 
rank,  who  might  obtain  pardons  for  the  offences 
m  question.^ 


1  "Le  Roy  voet,  sauver  sa  Liberie  et  Regalie  come  ses  progenitours 
*'  ount  faitz  devant  ses  heures/'  &c« 
3  Rot  ParU  voL  iiL  p.  26S. 


PREFACE.  ccxxiii 

On  the  accession  of  Henry  the  FourthS  when  Exko*s 
more  attention  was  paid  to  Legal  forms,  the  Com*  ^^^^. 
mens  requested  that  the  King's  Chamberlain  and 
Under-Chamberlain  should  be  sworn  not  to  take 
any  brocage  or  gift,  upon  pain  of  forfeiture  of  their 
property,  and  imprisonment ;  and  it  was  soon  after 
ordered,  that  persons  who  had  presented  Petitions 
to  the  King,  and  had  not  been  able  to  obtain 
answers  to  them,  should  apply  to  the  Chamberlain 
and  Council.^ 

In  May  1406  the   King's   Chamberlain   was 

appointed  a  Member  of  the  Council,  by  authority 

of  Parliament ;  and  it  was  at  the  same  time  or* 

dered  that  thenceforward  Bills  to  be  indorsed  by 

the  Chamberlains,  and  Letters  addressed  under  the 

King's  Signet,  and  mandates   to  the    Chancellor, 

Treasurer,  and  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal,  and  to 

all  other  Officers,  should    be    indorsed  or  made 

by  the  advice  of  the   Council.'      The  Commons 

iurther    prayed,   that   Officers   under  the    Cham-> 

berlain  might  not  act  by  Deputy ;  that  he  should 

execute  his  duties  faithfully,  without  taking  any 

thing  for  so  doing ;  and  that  he  should  be  sworn 

in  Parliament  to  observe  the  Common  and  Statute 

Law  and  Ordinances,  as  well  relating  to  the  King's 

Hottsdliold,  as   for  the  good  government  of  the 

Realm/   That  the  Office  of  Under-Chamberlain  was 

of  high  rank  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  may 


I  Rot.  ParL,  1  Hen.  IV.  1399,  toL  iii.  p.  4SS.  2  JincL  p.  444. 

»  Ibid.  p.  572.  4  Snd.  pp.  587,  588. 


ccxxiv  PREFACE* 

Kino's    be  inferred  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being  held 

df  AMB£R*  _^_  _ 

LAIN,  by  Sir  Thomas  Erpingham,  a  person  of  distin- 
guished reputation,  a  Privy  Councillor,  and  a  Knight 
of  tlie  Garter,  who,  when  he  impeached  the  Bishop 
of  Norwich  in  Parliament,  stood  between  the  Duke 
of  York  and  tlie  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  was  then 
described  by  the  King  as  "  son  bon  et  loial  Liege, 
^*  et  q'il  est  sage  et  vaillant  Chivaler."  ^ 

In  the  various  Ordinances  for  the  regulation 
of  the  Council,  the  King's  Chamberlain  is  always 
described  as  a  Member  ex  officio  ^;  and  numerous 
instances  occur,  in  this  work,  of  his  having  signed 
or  indorsed  Petitions,  in  conformity  with  the  regu- 
lations referred  to,  and  more  particularly  with  the 
remarkable  Ordinance  of  the  22nd  Hen.  VI.,  which 
has  been  so  often  cited.  The  importance  which 
was  attached  to  the  Duke  of  Gloucester's  dismissal 
of  Lord  Cromwell  from  the  Chamberlainship  in 
1432,  and  his  indignant  remonstrance,  have  been 
commented  upon.^ 

By  the  Statute  of  Westminster,  in  the 
13th  Edw.  I.  1285,  the  preamble  to  which  is 
as  follows :  "  Concerning  the  King's  Marshals  of 
^'  Fee,  Chamberlains,  Porters  in  the  circuit  of 
**  Justices,  and  Serjeants  bearing  vierge  before 
<*  Justices  at  Westminster,  which  have  the  same 
<*  Offices  in  fee,  and  that  ask  more  by  reason  of 
**  their  fee  than  they  have  used  to  ask,  whereupon 

1  Rot.  Pari,  2  Hen.  IV.  voL  iii.  p.  4!56. 

2  Proceedings  of  the  Council^  voL  L  pp.  iii,  S4tf  86. 
^  Ibid.  ToLiv.  pp.  xli,  xliii. 


PREFACE.  CCXXV 


44 
44 


C4 
«4 


"  many  do  complain  on  them  that  have  known     King's 

ChAMBKR' 

"  and  seen  the  order  of  the  Court  of  long  time ;  our  lain. 
Lord  the  King  hath  caused  to  be  inquired  by 
an  inquest  what  the  said  Officers  of  fee  have 
"  used  to  have  in  times  passed ; — it  was  ordained 
^  and  commanded,  that  the  King's  Chamber- 
"  lains  from  henceforth  shall  have  of  Archbishops, 
^  Bishops,  Abbots,  Priors,  and  other  persons  Spi- 
^  ritual,  of  Earls  and  Barons  holding  an  entire 
"  Barony,  a  reasonable  fine  when  they  do  their 
"  homage  or  fealty  ;  and  if  they  hold  by  a  part  of 
a  Barony,  they  shall  take  a  reasonable  fine,  ac- 
cording to  the  portion  to  them  belonging.  Other 
^^  Abbots,  Priors,  and  other  persons  Spiritual  and 
"  Temporal,  that  hold  no  entire  Barony,  nor  part 
^  of  a  Barony,  shall  not  be  distrained  to  make  fine, 
"  as  it  is  said  by  them  that  hold  by  a  Barony  or 
"  part  of  a  Barony  ;  but  the  Chamberlain  shall  be 
**  contented  with  his  upper  garment,  or  with  the 
**  price  thereof;  which  is  done  in  favour  of  persons 
"  religious  more  than  of  lay  persons,  for  it  is 
^  more  convenient  that  religious  men  should  fine 
"  for  their  upper  garment  than  be  stripped." 

In  the  11th  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  it  was  de- 
termined that  the  Chamberlain  should  not  be 
appointed  by  the  Council  without  the  assent  of 
the  Duke  of  Bedford  ^  and  that  he  should  not 
be  removed  at  the  pleasure  of  the  King's  pre- 
ceptor.* 

»  Rot  Pari,  voL  iv.  p.  424.  »  Und.  p.  433. 

VOL.  VI.  p 


ccxxvi  PREFACE. 

Kino's  The  duties  and  nature  of  the  King's  Cham- 

Chambeb-  ... 

LAIN,  berlam  in  the  reign  of  King  Edward  the  Fourth 
are  fully  described  in  the  Regulations  ordained  for 
the  government  of  his   Household^;   a^d  all  that 

1  <<  A  Chambbrlatn  for  the  Kino  in  Household,  the  Grete  Officer 
<<  sitting  in  the  Kinges  chambre ;  and  when  it  requireth  for  matters  to 
'<  be  comyned  of  the  Kinges  Counsayle,  then  his  metes  and  soupers  in 
"  his  own  chaumber,  or  elles  with  other  estates  of  the  household,  as  it 
*<  shall  seme  hym  best    He  taketh  his  brekefast,  if  he  wulle,  in  opyn 
"  dayes ;  he  presenteth,  chargeth,  and  dischargeth  all  suche  persounes  as 
**  be  of  the  Kinges  chaumbre,  except  all  suche  officers  of  household  as 
<'  ministre  for  any  yytayle  for  the  Kinges  mouthe,  or  for  his  chambre ; 
'<  for  all  those  take  theire  charge  at  the  grene  cloth  in  the  oountyng 
<<  house.    This  is  the  chief  hed  of  rulers  in  the  Kinges  chambre.    Item» 
''  as  often  as  he  chargeth  or  dischargeth  any  new  person  in  the  chaum- 
<<  bre,  to  present  those  persones  and  names  into  the  countynghouse. 
<^  Item,  he  hath  the  punition  of  all  them  that  are  longing  to  the 
^*  chaumber   for  any  offence  or  outrage;  savynge  the  right  of  the 
"  countynghouse  in  chekking  them  for  theire  vacations,  or  for  lak  of 
<'  recordes,  or  mysse  recording,  or  for  loss  of  torches,  naperye,  pottes, 
<<  cuppes,  woode,  or  suche  other  stuffe  comyng  fro  the  Thesaurers 
"  charge,  and  by  them  so  miscarried.    The  Chaumberlayn  taketh  his 
*'  othe  and  staffe  of  the  King,  or  of  his  Counsayle.    He  shall  at  no 
'<  tyme  within  this  Courte  be  covered  in  his  service.    He  may  have 
**  etyng  in  the  hall  ij.  esquiers,  ij.  yomen ;  and  for  the  yoman  and  other 
<<  keping  his  chaumbre  and  for  his  proper  lyverey  at  nygh^  in  wpjn 
<<  dayes,  vj.  loves,  iiij.  messes  of  grete  mete  and  roste,  one  picher  wyne» 
"  iiij.  gallons    of  ale,   one  torche,   one  percher,   iiij.  candelles  wax, 
V).  candelles  peris' ;  for  wynter  lyverey,  \j.  tallwood,  iij.  faggotts,  the 
larger  bycause  he  shuld  take  no  thing  of  suohe  stuffe  frooi  the  KiJtg's 
«  chaumber,  nor  suffer  none  to  be  taken  away  but  for  worshipp  to  the 
**  King.     He  taketh  also  for  somer  lyverey  iij.  tallwood,  one  feggot, 
*^  russhes,  and  litter,  all  the  yere,  of  the  Sergeaunt  Usher  of  the  hall 
<<  and  chaumber,  and  of  all  other  vytayle  and  stuffe  as  he  shall  have 
'<  nede  to  within  this  household,  gevyng  ensaumple  of  his  content  and 
"  moderate  costages  in  court,  bothe  to  the  Kinges  honour  and  profit. 
<<  Item,  for  his  robes,  at  Cristmas  and  Whitsontide,  of  the  countyng 
<<  house,  by  evyn  portions,  8  marks ;  and  for  his  fees  at  Michaelmas  and 


it 


PREFACE.  ccxxvii 

need  be  added  on  the  subject  is,  that  the  Office     Kino's 

Ohambbr* 

has    ever   since    been    held    by  persons  of  high      lain. 
rank ;  that  by  the  Statute  for  Precedency,  in  the 
31st  Hen.  YIIL,  the  King^s  Chamberlain  is  placed 
next  after  the  Lord  Steward,  and  above  all  other 
persons  of  the  same  degree  that  he  may  happen 


"  Easter^  by  even  portions^  10  marks.  This  groweth  to  hym  from  the 
^'  hoQseholdy  and  not  of  the  Jewell-house^  nor  of  the  King*s  warderobe, 
^  for  the  favour  and  help  that  he  shulde  owe  in  assisting  the  Stewarde, 
**  Thesaurere,  and  other  officers  of  householde,  in  speking  to  the  King's 
**  Iffi^iAesse  or  to  his  noble  Counsayle,  Icnr  the  ayde  and  goode  con* 
**  tiinuuioe  oi  the  honorable  oonductes  of  his  households  Item,  whan 
**  Jijmself  is  absent  from  Courte  he  levith  a  yoman  to  kepe  his 
<<  chaumber,  and  purvey  for  his  lyverey  of  stuffe  in  the  countrey, 
'  taking  in  courte,  at  mde  tymes,  one  payn,  one  messe  grosse  de  kusyn, 
'^  one  gallon  service ;  and  whan  hymself  is  present  in  this  courte, 
**  to  hare  in  all  yj.  persons  wayters  within  the  gate.  The  remanent  of 
**  his  serraunts  abydyng  with  his  householde  at  his  lyverey  in  the 
^  covntrey,  a  garde  du  corps  le  Roy ;  his  lyverey  and  every  other  with- 
**  out  the  King's  gates  is  delyvered  all  wayes  by  the  assent  of  the 
^  Kinges  herberger,  and  that  by  his  byll ;  and  within  the  Kinges  gates 
**  no  man  shall  harborow  or  assigne  but  this  Chambyrlayn  or  Ussher,  or 
**  snehe  other  under  hym  of  the  King's  chambre  havyng  theyr  power. 
**  This  Chamberlayn  besyly  to  serche  and  oversee  the  King's  chambres ; 
**  and  the  astate  made  therein  to  be  according,  first,  for  all  the  array 
**  longing  to  his  proper  royall  person,  for  his  proper  beddes,  for  his 
"  proper  boarde  at  meale  tymes,  for  the  diligent  doyng  in  servyng 
**  tkefeof  to  his  honour  and  pleasure ;  to  assigne  Kervers,  Cupbearers^ 
**  Assewers,  Fhisitians,  Almoners,  Knyghts,  or  other  wurshypfull  astate 
**  far  the  towell  and  for  the  basyn.  Squires  of  the  body  to  be  attendaunt. 
"  The  Ussher  of  the  Chambre  ever  to  see  and  quikly  to  remedy  every 
"  thing  lacking  or  de&utes,  as  well  in  the  King's  inner  chaumbre  as  in 

*  the  titter  chamber,  specially  in  sight  towarde  straungers  of  worship, 

*  if  the  King  kepe  astate  in  his  chaumbre.  And  dayly  this  Ussher 
^  maketh  his  towell  or  suntape  as  dothe  a  Marchall  when  the  King  fs  in 
'<  the  halL" 

p  2 


ccxxviii  PREFACE. 

Kino's  to  be  of  ^;  that  thou£^h  the  Lord  Chamberlfun  is 
LAIN,  no  longer  responsible  for  political  affairs,  the  ap- 
pointment always  changes  with  the  Administration  ; 
and  that  both  he  and  the  Great  Chamberlain,  as 
well  as  the  Vice-Chamberlain,  are  Members  of  the 
Privy  Council,  which  circumstances  may  be  attri- 
buted to  an  adherence  to  ancient  usage,  and  to  a 
consideration  for  the  rank  which  those  Officers 
hold  in  the  State. 

The  Editor  must  now  express  his  gratitude  to 
the  persons  by  whose  assistance  all  the  volumes  of 
this  series  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Privy  Council 
have  been  more  or  less  improved.  Amongst  those 
friends  the  Viscount  Strangford  has  shewn  the 
liveliest  interest  in  their  completion,  and  has,  on 
numerous  occasions  favoured  him  with  valuable 
suggestions.  To  Mr.  Hardy  of  the  Record  Office 
in  the  Tower,  he  is  indebted  for  information  re^ 
specting  the  nature  and  history  of  the  Public 
Muniments,  which  he  might,  in  vain,  have  sought 
elsewhere  ;  and  his  communications  have  been 
particularly  useful  respecting  the  King's  Great 
Seal.  From  Mr.  Holmes  of  the  British  Museum, 
he  has  frequently  received  considerable  biblio- 
graphicsil  information. 


1  By  Henry  the  Eighth's  warrant  appointing  a  second  Secretary  of 
State,  Precedency  was  given  to  the  Vice-Chamberlain  next  after  the 
Master  of  the  Horse,  and  immediately  before  the  Secretary  of  State. 
Sec,  however,  the  remarks  on  the  subject,  p.  cxxv,  antea. 


PREFACE.  CCXXIX 

The  contents  of  these  volumes  have  been 
copied  and  collated,  and  read,  with  the  Editor,  by 
Mr.  John  Baker,  to  whose  ability  as  a  transcriber 
of  Records,  and  general  acquaintance  with  the 
subject,  a  personal  knowledge  of  nearly  ten  years 
enables  him  to  bear  strong  and  willing  testimony. 

It  is  equally  proper  that  the  acknowledgment 
which  was  made  to  the  King's  Printers  in  the  first 
volume  should  be  here  repeated,  because  the  work 
has  been  materially  benefited  by  their  unremitted 
attention  to  the  Editor's  wishes. 


W  March  1837. 


CHRONOLOGICAL    CATALOGUE 


or  THK 


ARTICLES  RELATING  TO  THE  REIGN 


or 


KING  HENRY  THE  SIXTH. 


[From  26th  August,  22  Hen.  VI.  1443,  to  the  28th  of  January, 

39  Hen.  VI.  1461.] 


22HEN.VL  1443-4. 


fM  AuguBty  22  Ben.  VL  1443. — Answers  given  on  the  King's  behalf  to 
the  demands  made  by  Giles  of  Brittany  and  other  ambassadors  of 
the  Duke  of  Brittany,  wherein  the  King  expresses  his  satisfaction 
at  the  arrival  of  the  said  Giles,  as  well  on  account  of  his  con- 
aanguinity  as  of  the  virtues  and  noble  bearing  which  he  had  displayed 
when  he  was  with  him  in  his  youth ;  and  thanks  the  Duke  for  the 
desire  which  he  expressed  that  his  brother  should  render  him  service. 
With  respect  to  the  claim  made  by  the  Duke  of  Brittany  to  the 
earldom  of  Richmond,  on  doing  homage  for  it  by  proxy,  the 
King  replied,  that  he  had  never  before  heard  of' the  Duke's  pre- 
tensions, but  that,  wishing  to  render  justice  to  every  one,  he  would 
cause  the  registers  and  deeds  thereof  to  be  examined,  and  if  it  should 
be  found  that  the  Duke  possessed  a  right  to  the  earldom,  he  would 
willingly  receive  his  homage,  in  accordance  with  the  rights,  laws, 
customs,  and  usages  of  the  realm  of  England.  The  King  thanks 
the  Duke  for  his  offer  to  promote  peace  between  France  and  Eng- 
land; wishes  him  and  all  other  Catholic  Princes  to  be  reminded  of 
the  endeavours  which  had  been  made  by  his  father  and  himself  to 
procure  peace ;  states  that  he  will  be  always  ready  to  attend 
to  any  thing  which  may  conduce  thereto,  and  that  he  willingly 
accepts  the  Duke  as  a  mediator :  he  beseeches  the  Duke  to  inform 
him  of  any  overtures  which  might  be  made  by  the  adverse  party ; 
informs  him  that  he  had  decided  upon  sending  ambassadors  to 
VOL.  VI.  [a] 


ii  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.      [22  Hen.  VI. 

France ;  and  adds,  that  if  a  peace  should  be  concluded,  he  would  use 
his  endeavours  for  the  Duke  to  be  comprised  therein.    In  reply 
to   a  demand  of  the   ambassadors   of  Brittany  for  restitution  of 
seizures  which  bad  been  of  the  Bretons  by  the  English/  |t  is 
stated  that  daily  complaints  were  urged  by  the  latter  against  the 
former ;  that  many  applications  had  on  that  account  been  made  to 
the  late  and  to  the  present  Duke  of  Brittany  himself,  but  without 
effect ;  that  it  had  been  advised  three  years  before,  and  the  King 
again  proposes,  that  commissioners  should  be  appointed  to  hear 
and  determine  the  complaints  on  both  sides ;  and  he  concludes  by 
promising  to  cause  proclamation  to  be  made  in  all  his  ports  forbidding 
his  subjects  to  molest  the  Bretons,  and  by  desiring  that  similar  man- 
dates may  be  issued  by  the  Duke  •  -  ^    P«  ^ — 7 
^pparenUy  between  September  and  December^  22  Hen.  VL  1443. — Answers 
given  on  the  King's  behalf  to  certain  demands  conveyed  from  the 
Duke  of  Brittany  by  Giles  his  brother.    In  reply  to  a  demand  made 
by  the  Duke  for  the  surrender  of  the  earldom  of  Richmond,  the  King 
states,  that,  in  consequence  of  the  promise  which  he  had  lately  made 
to  the  Duke*s  ambassadors,  he  had  caused  the  registers  and  other 
muniments  relative  to  the  earldom  to  be  Examined,  and  had  thereby 
ascertained  that  it  was  held  by  King  Edward  the  Third,  who  gave  it 
to  his  son  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  by  whom  it  was  subsequently  sur- 
rendered and  came  into  the  hands  of  Richard  the  Second ;  that  it  was 
afterwards  assigned  in  dower  to  Anne  his  Queen,  and  on  her  decease^ 
reverted  to  the  Crown,  and  was  held  by  King  Henry  the  Fourth.  He 
promises,  however,  that  if  the  Duke  can  shew  a  clear  title  to  t|ie 
earldom,  he  will  render  him  full  justice.   With  respect  to  the  Duke's 
doing  homage  for  the  said  earldom  by  proxy,  for  which  purpose  |ie 
had  given  power  to  Giles  his  brother,  it  is  stated  that  the  King  will 
render  to  him  all  the  favour  in  his  power,  but  that,  according  to  the 
laws  of  England,  any  one  owing  homage  must  render  it  in  person, 
and  that  the  King  s  predecessors,  however  near  might  be  the  con- 
sanguinity of  the  party  from  whom  homage  was  due,  had  never 
received  homage  in  any  other  manner.     To  the  Duke  s  request  to 
be  comprised  in  any  treaty  which   might  be  concluded  between 
England  and  France,  the  King  replied  that  he  had  already  given  a 
promise  to  that  effect,  and  that  it  should  be  kept  in  remembrance  by 
himself  and  his  Council       *            -            -            -  -    p.  7 — 9 
ProhMy  written  in  1443. — A  memorandum  of  matters  to  be  submitted 
to  the  King  relative  to  propositions  which  had  been  made  by  the 
Council  to  Giles  of  Brittany,  wherein  it  is  recited,  that  the  said  Giles 
had,  during  his  infancy  and  his  youth,  manifested  a  desire  to  serve 
the  King,  and  had  regarded  his  honour,  weal,  and  profit ; — that  he 
had  since,  in  consideration  of  the  great  benefits  and  honours  which 
the  King  had  conferred  upon  him,  continued  in  the  same  disposition, 
in  proof  whereof  he  was  ready,  in  compliance  with  the  letters  sent 


1443*3  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE-  iii 

to  him  by  the  King,  and  the  communications  made  to  him  by  Lord 
Sudely  and  others,  to  render  service  to  him,  and  to  obey  his  com- 
mands : — To  questions  which  had  been  put  to  him  as  to  what  service 
he  would  perform,  and  how  he  would  employ  himself  for  the  King^s 
advantage,  he  replied,  that  it  was  not  for  him  to  select,  but  for 
the  King  to  command,  the  service  which  he  should  render;  that, 
saving  his  honour,  he  would  serve  the  King  in  any  manner  it  might 
please  him  to  command,  provided  that  such  provision  were  made  for 
him  that  he  might  not  be  under  the  necessity  of  seeking  a  main- 
tenance elsewhere,  because,  when  he  had  once  taken  up  arms  on  the 
King's  behalf,  he  should  be  unable  to  obtain  any  great  advantage 
elsewhere  :— He  answered,  to  a  request  which  had  been  made  to  him 
to  take  an  oath  to  the  King  containing  certain  strong  obligations,  that 
it  appeared  to  him  to  be  very  strange,  considering  the  good  dispo- 
sition which  he  had  always  shewn  towards  the  King,  and  that  he  had 
always  served  him  to  his  utmost,  without  wages : — he  added,  that  if 
the  King  would  confer  upon  him  more  property,  he  should  be  more 
and  more  obliged  to  him,  and  that  he  intended  to  serve  him  more 
by  deeds  than  by  words : — He  observed,  that  the  offers  which  had 
been  made  to  him  were  too  small  and  trifling,  considering  that  he 
would  be  under  the  necessity  of  renouncing  every  other  advantage : 
—he  acknowledged  that  the  offer  was  greater  than  his  desert,  but 
insufficient  to  maintain  his  rank  with  regard  to  the  King's  honour  and 
his  own : — The  memorandum  concludes  by  stating,  that,  on  account 
of  the  great  desire  which  the  said  Giles  had  to  see  the  King  in  per- 
son, he  had  come  to  England,  and  was  desirous  that  the  King  would 
speedily  declare  his  will  in  the  matters  aforesaid  -        p.  9 — 11 

AjqKxrendy  about  Oclober  or  November^  22  Hen.  VL  1443. — Memoir 
delivered  to  the  Council  by  Giles  of  Brittany,  on  behalf  of  his 
brother  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  wherein  it  is  stated  that  the  Adver- 
sary of  France  had  communicated  to  the  Duke,  that  he  had  ascer- 
tained that  the  King  was  about  to  send  the  Duke  of  Suffolk,  or 
others,  to  him  to  treat  respecting  a  peace,  and  praying  the  Duke  to 
be  with  him  at  the  time  of  their  arrival,  for  the  purpose  of  assist- 
ing therein,  which  journey  the  Duke  had  delayed  until  he  had 
notified  the  same  to  the  King,  and  ascertained  his  pleasure,  which 
the  said  Giles  requested  might  be  signified  to  him : — he  added,  that, 
notwithstanding  the  peace  which  had  been  concluded  between  Eng« 
land  and  Brittany,  the  Duke  of  Somerset  had  entered  the  latter 
country  with  a  great  number  of  men-at-arms,  and  had  committed 
many  cruel  and  enormous  excesses,  as  if  it  were  a  conquered  country, 
although  he  and  his  followers  had  found  all  favour,  and  had  been 
received  as  friends ;— >that  they  had  pillaged  and  destroyed  the  town 
of  Laquierche,  and,  whilst  they  held  it,  had  made  many  incursions 
into  Brittany,  to  the  total  destruction  of  the  people  thereabout ; — 
that  before  be  would  depart  he  had  covenanted  for  the  Duke  to  pay 

[a  2] 


iy  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE,         [22  Hen.  VI, 

him  20,000  crowns,  of  which  sum  10,000  had  been  paid,  and 
he  had  received  a  bond  for  the  payment  of  the  remainder  before 
Christmas  next,  to  which  stipulation  the  Duke  had  consented  for 
the  sake  of  avoiding  the  great  excesses  which  were  committed  upon 
his  people,  to  whom  he  prays  that  the  King  would  cause  reparation 
and  restitution  to  be  made  ....    p.  n — 13 

2nd  December f  apparently  in  the  29nd  Hen,  VL  1443. — Letter  from 
the  Council  to  th^  Duke  of  Brittany,  requesting  to  know  the  state 
of  his  health ; — informing  him  that  daily  complaints  were  made  to 
them,  that,  notwithstanding  the  peace  existing  between  the  two 
counties,  the  Duke*s  subjects  attacked  those  of  the  King,  both  by 
sea  and  by  land,  especially  such  as  were  occupied  in  fishing ;  and, 
when  they  found  few  in  a  vessel,  killed  some,  threw  others  into  the 
water,  and  put  the  remainder  into  such  horrible  and  close  prison» 
that  part  of  them  died  through  the  hardships  which  they  had  under- 
gone, and  others,  to  save  their  lives  and  be  released  from  such 
torments,  put  themselves  to  such  excessive  ransoms  as  they  or  their 
friends  could  never  pay,  and,  when  they  failed  on  the  days  appointed, 
were  forcibly  conducted  to  the  public  places  and  through  the 
streets^  where  they  were  inhumanly  put  to  death  ;  and  when  they,  at 
the  point  of  death,  desired  that  the  sacraments  might  be  adminis- 
tered to  them,  they  were  denied  ;  and  that  burial  in  holy  ground  was 
refused  to  those  who  died ; — that  others  were  so  strictly  ironed  that 
their  limbs  were  mortified,  treatment  which  even  Saracens  had 
never  shewn  to  Christians,  and  that  it  was  thought  that  many  were 
kept  so  closely  confined  that  they  could  not  make  their  misery 
known : — The  Council  express  an  opinion  that  the  Duke's  subjects 
had  promised  peace  for  their  own  advantage  only,  and  to  deceive 
others,  and  declare  their  belief  that  these  enormities  were  committed 
without  the  Duke*s  assent  or  knowledge,  <'  for  they  would  be  much 
to  his  dishonour  if  he  knew  them  and  did  not  provide  a  remedy :" — 
They  state  that  they  cannot,  without  prejudice  to  the  King  and  to 
his  realm,  permit  such  inhumanity  to  pass  unnoticed,  '<  for  the  blood 
of  the  victims  cried  upon  them  without  ceasing  for  vengeance  :** — 
They  desire  the  Duke  to  signify  to  them  by  the  bearer.  Garter  King 
of  Arms,  whether  these  excesses  were  committed  with  his  knowledge 
or  assent,  and  if  not,  that  he  would  take  measures  that  they  should 
cease,  and  notify  to  them  his  answer  so  speedily,  that  they  might 
therewith  appease  the  inhabitants  of  this  realm,  or  so  provide  therein 
as  God  should  counsel  them     -  -  -  *    P«  19 — 16 

\9ih  DecenAer^  22  Hen.  VL  1443.— ilftitttfe^  of  Council  It  was  sug- 
gested that  a  yearly  pension  of  1,000  marks  should  be  granted  to 
Giles  of  Brittany,  who  had  come  to  see  the  King  and  proffer  service 
to  him,  and  that^  as  the  term  would  not  end  before  Candlemas,  he 
should  have  payment  in  hand  for  the  first  quarter,  and  likewise  have, 
as  a  gift  from  the  King,  a  cup  of  gold,  with  a  sum  of  money  therein ; 


1443-]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  t 

and  that  a  cup  of  silver  gilt,  worth  20  marks,  and  a  piece  of  damask, 
should  be  given  to  Alan  Lawe,  one  of  the  ambassadors  of  the  Duke 
of  Brittany.  The  King  decided  that  Giles  of  Brittany  should  have 
a  cup  worth  100  marks,  and  j£lOO  therein,  and  that  the  ambassador 

•  should  have  a  purse  containing  100  crowns,  and  a  cloth  of  damask. 
It  was  also  suggested  that  an  answer  should  be  given  to  the  Duke  of 
Brittany,  who  had  been  requested  by  the  King  of  France  to  be  a 
mediator  of  peace,  in  accordance  with  letters  which  had  been  pre- 
viously sent  to  him ;  and  that  the  complaints  made  by  him  against  the 
Duke  of  Somerset  should  be  inclosed  in  a  letter  to  the  latter,  and 
that  he  should  be  commanded  to  make  restitution  and  reformation  of 
any  attempts  which  he  had  committed  in  Brittany  against  the  peace ; 
and  that  these  answers  should  be  sent  to  the  Duke  of  Brittany  by  his 
brother  Giles       -  -  -  -  -  -    p.  16 — 18 

IStk  December,  22  Hen.  VL  l^S.-^lbicL  Master  Adam  Moleyns  re- 
ported to  the  Council  the  King's  assent  to  and  thanks  for  the 
suggestions  made  by  them  on  the  preceding  day ;  and  the  Ward- 
Tober  likewise  signified  the  assent  of  Cardinal  Beaufort  thereto : — 
The  Chancellor  was  directed  to  grant  letters  of  licence  to  some 
servants  of  the  Cardinal  of  Luxemburgh  to  cross  the  sea,  with 
300  marks,  besides  s£200  which  they  had  by  the  King's  gifl 

p.  18—19 

Ibid, — Warrant  signed  by  the  King,  authorizing  the  Treasurer  and 
Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer  to  raise,  upon  such  jewels  and 
goods  of  the  King  as  should  seem  proper,  the  sum  of  2,000  marks, 
and  to  deliver  the  same  to  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury   -  -    p.  23 

lith  December,  22  Hen.  VL  lUS.— Ibid.  A  letter  to  be  sent  to  the 
Duke  of  Brittany,  relative  to  the  peace,  in  conformity  with  the 
answers  which  had  been  given  to  his  ambassadors : — A  letter  to  be 
sent  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset  in  reference  to  the  complaint  made 
against  him  by  Giles  of  Brittany     '    -  -  -  -    p.  19 

nth  December,  22 Hen.  VL  1443— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke 
of  Brittany,  thanking  him  for  the  desire  which  he  had  expressed  to 
exert  himself  as  a  mediator  for  peace  between  England  and  France, 
reminding  him  of  the  endeavours  which  had  been  made  to  obtain 
the  same  by  himself  and  his  father,  and  of  the  labours  and  expenses 
which  they  had  thereby  incurred : — He  states  his  determination  to 
persevere  in  the  same  course,  and  the  pleasure  with  which  he 
accepts  the  Duke's  mediation  ;  requests  the  Duke  to  inform  him  of 
any  overtures  which  might  be  made  by  the  adverse  party ;  and  adds, 
that  he  is  about  to  send  ambassadors  into  France,  and  that  if  peace 
should  be  concluded  the  Duke  should  be  comprised  therein  in  good 
and  honourable  terms     -  -  -  -  "    P«  20^21 

Auf.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  informing  him  of 
the  complaints  which  had  been  made  by  the  Duke  of  Brittany  of  the 
infraction  of  the  peace  by  him  (vide  letter  in  October  or  November^ 
22  Hen.VL  1443;  pp.  12,  13.);  of  the  King's  displeasure  thereat,. 

[a  3] 


vi  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOOUE.      t22HEN.VL 

if  such  were  the  case ;  and  strictly  commanding  bim  to  repair  and 
amend  any  injuries  which  had  been  committed  by  himself  or  his 
followers  in  the  territories  of  the  Duke  or  to  the  prejudice  of  his 
subjects ;  and  to  take  precautions  for  the  prevention  of  the  same  in 
future       ..-.,..    p.22— 2S 

^Sth  January^  22  Hm.  VL  1444. — Warrant  to  the  Treasurer  and  Cham- 
berlains of  the  Exchequer  for  the  payment  of  25  marks  to  Nicholas 
Husey,  esquire^  who  was  going  into  Brittany  with  Giles  of  Brittany 

p.  24 

\8t  Fdmwry^  22Hen.VL  1444. — Petition  to  the  King  from  Thomas 
Beckington,  Bishop  of  Bath,  praying  for  letters  of  privy  seal  to  be 
directed  to  the  Chamberlain  of  North  Wales,  authorizing  him  to  pay, 
out  of  the  issues  of  his  office,  ;€189)  due  to  the  said  Bishop  for  an 
embassy  to  Guienne : — which  was  granted  -  *    P*  ^^ — ^ 

fUh  Februaryy  22  Hen.  VI.  14*44. — Petition  to  the  King  from  the  Duke 
of  Gloucester,  constable  of  Dovor  and  of  the  Cinque  Ports,  praying 
for  letters  of  privy  seal  authorizing  the  Treasurer  and  Barons  of  the 
Exchequer  to  account  with  him  for  the  expenses  which  he  had 
incurred  in  repairing  the  church  and  castle  of  Dovor      -    p.  25 — ^27 

27^  February,  22  Hen.  VI.  1444« — Warrant  to  the  Treasurer  and  Cham- 
berlains of  the  Exchequer,  directing  them  to  pay  to  the  Earl  of 
Shrewsbury,  who  had  covenanted  "  to  do  service  of  war  "  in  France 
and  Normandy  for  half  a  year,  the  sum  of  2,000  marks,  out  of  jf  10,000. 
whereof  they  had  been  commanded  to  make  assignment  to  him 

p.  27 
9rd  March,  22  Hen.  VI.  14M.—Minute$  of  CounciL  The  Chancellor 
was  directed  to  make  letters  patent  for  pledging  to  Cardinal  Beau- 
fort  two  parts  of  the  King's  rich  collar,  as  security  for  2,000  marks 
which  he  had  agreed  to  lend  to  the  King  until  the  feast  of  St.  Martin 
in  the  winter  next  ensuing : — Warrants  to  be  made  for  the  payment 
of  J^IO  to  Henry  of  Coningham  of  Scotland,  for  service  to  be  doue 
by  him  to  the  King ; — for  the  appointment  of  Roger  Falconbridge  aar 
sheriff  of  Lincolnshire;  and  a  dedimus  patestatem  to  Sir  Thomas 
Comberworth  to  receive  his  oath  -  -  -    p.  28 — ^29 

ISth  March,  22  Hen.VI.  1444. — Petition  to  tlie  King  from  the  provost 
and  scholars  of  the  college  of  Our  Lady  and  St.  Nicholas,  lately 
founded  by  the  King  in  the  university  of  Cambridge,  praying  for 
letters  of  privy  seal  to  be  directed  to  the  Clerk  of  the  Hanaper, 
commanding  him  to  deliver  to  them  all  patents  and  writs  concerning 
their  college,  without  the  payment  of  any  fine  or  fee  :-»which  was 
granted  -  -  -  -  -  --p.  02 


1445.3  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  vii 


23  Hen.VI.  1444-^. 

i4A  Jcanmaryy  23  JletLVL  1445. — Writ  to  the  Chancellor,  commanding 
him  to  issue  letters  patent,  granting  licence  to  Christopher  de  Poges, 
and  Austin  de  la  Robbe,  merchants  of  Jena,  and  Peter  de  Saint 
John,  burgess  of  Bruges  in  Flanders,  to  conv6y  into  and  sell  in 
England  two  great  diamonds,  two  smaller  ones,  four  great  rubies, 
four  sapphires,  and  twelve  pearls ;  and,  if  not  sold,  to  reconvey  them 
out  of  the  realm,  without  payment  of  any  custom  or  subsidy 

p-  30—31 

SliiJanuaryj  25Hen.VI.lif^ Petition  to  the  King  fVom  William 

Cleve,  clerk  of  the  works,  praying  that  the  Treasurer  might  be' 
directed  to  deliver  to  him  an  assignment  of  ji' 1,000,  to  enable  him 
to  pay  the  workmen^  and  provide  materials  for  the  construction  of 
a  new  hall  and  other  offices  at  Eltham ;  the  waterbridge,  quadrangle, 
and  gatehouse  at  Shene;   the  great  chamber  for  the  King;   the 

■  Queen's  lodging ;  the  Parliament  Chamh^,  and  the  Painted  Chamber 
at  Westminster,  and  the  scaffolding  in  Westminster  Abbey,  **  for  the 
estate  of  the  coronation:'* — which  was  granted     -        -    p. 31 — 32 

lU  February^  23  Hen.  VL  1445.— iKftitite  of  a  Qmncilf  containing  the 
purport  of  a  speech  made  by  the  Duke  of  Suffolk,  excusing  himself 
from  attending  an  embassy  to  France.  As  this  speech  is  in  English, 
it  is  unnecessary  to  abstract  it  r  -  -  -    p.  32 — 35 

SfrfiPe^iory,  23  i5r«i.F/- 1445^— Petition  to  the  King  from  Richard 
Jordan,  keeper  of  the  cellars  in  Windsor  Castle,  at  the  manor  of 
East  Hampstead,  and  at  Henley  on  the  Heath,  praying  for  a  grant  of 
**  a  livery  of  meat  and  drink,"  to  be  taken  in  the  King  s  household 
when  the  King  or  his  household  should  be  at  Windsor  Castle,  in  the 

*  same  manner  as  the  keeper  of  the  place,  the  keeper  of  the  beds,  and 
the  porter  of  the  outer-gate,  take  daily,  and  a  cloth  gown  yearly, 
during  his  life,  at  the  great  wardrobe  in  London  -  -    p.  35 

9ih  Marchj  23  Hen.  VL  1445.— Petition  to  the  King  from  the  Duke  of 
York,  stating  that  the  castle  and  manor  of  Crickhowell  had,  from  time 
out  of  mind,  been  holden  of  himself  and  his  ancestors  as  of  their 
castle  and  lordship  of  Blaullveny  and  Dynas,  by  knight  service  and 
other  services,  until  Sir  John  Pauncefoot  and  his  feoffees  made  diver? 
estates  and  feoffments,  reserving  to  him  other  service  and  reversions 
of  the  said  castle  and  manor  of  Crickhowell,  to  the  disherison  of  the 
-petitioner,  and  praying  for  licence  to  sue  in  Parliament  for  restitution 
ofhis  said  inheritance:— which  was  granted         *  -    p. 86 — 37 

144hMarchj  23  H&uVL  1445. — Petition  to  the  King  from  Sir  Andrew 
Ogard,  stating  that  he  had  succeeded  to  certain  lands  in  Denmark, 
^vrhere  he  was  born,  and  in  other  places  in  the  King  of  Denmark's 
obeisance,  and  desiring  to  know  whether  it  were  the  King's  pleasure 
€ot  him  to  enjoy  the  same  and  to  do  the  services  and  duties  requited 

[a  4] 


Tiii  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  [23-24.  Hxn.  VL 

therefore  after  the  laws  of  the  countries  wherein  they  were  situated  :-r- 
which  was  granted         -         -         -         -         -         --p.  SB 

25M  Mayy  23  Hen.  VL  1445.— Warrant  to  the  Treasurer  and  Chamber- 
lains of  the  Exchequer,  commanding  them  to  pay  to  the  executors  of 
the  late  Lord  Fanhope  the  sum  of  j^540»  for  two  ouches  which  had 
been  purchased  from  them  by  the  King,  and  to  deliver  the  said 
ouches  to  John  Merston,  esquire,  keeper  of  the  jewels ;  and  also  to 
pay  jflOO  to  the  Abbot  of  St.  Albon's  for  a  <*  circle  of  x  ouches  of 
gold,  set  with  great  pearle,  baleys>  and  sapphire,"  which  were  pledged 
to  him,  and  to  deliver  to  the  keeper  of  the  jewels  a  George,  which 
was  bought  of  Sir  William  Estfelde  -  -  -    p.  39 


24  Hen.  VI.  1445-6. 


14^  Marchy  24*  JEkn.  VL  1446. — Letter  from  the  King  to  John  Bredon, 
a  priest  of  Coventry,  who  had  disseminated  opinions  prejudicial  to 
the  law  of  God  and  of  the  King,  commanding  him  to  leave  that  city, 
and  to  proceed  to  the  Minister  Provincial  of  his  Order  or  his  vicar, 
and  to  be  ruled  and  demeaned  according  to  the  King's  command 

p.  40 
i^u/.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Minister  Provincial  of  the  Friars 
Minors   in  England,   commanding   him   to  remove  John  Bredon, 
above-mentioned,  to  some  convent  of  the  Order,  at  the  distance  of 
forty  or  fifty  miles  from  Coventry         -        -         -         *    p*  40-— 41 
JbidL — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  mayor,  bailifi,  and  inhabitants  of 
Coventry,  informing  them  that  John  Bredon  had  been  commanded  to 
revoke  and  renounce  the  opinions  which  he  had  preached  to  them  in 
the  pulpit  in  the  parish  churches  of  the  said  city  on  one  or  two  fes- 
tival days  after  the  offering,  during  the  time  of  high  mass,  of  which 
revocation  the  tenor  was  contained  in  a  schedule  sent  to  them ;  and 
if  he  refused  to  read  the  said  schedule,  or  said  more  or  less  than  was 
contained  therein,  he  was  to  be  committed  to  prison         p.  41 — 42 
Ibid. — A  copy  of  the  schedule  alluded  to  in  the  preceding  letter 

p.  48 — 45 
20fA  Jul^y  24  HetuVI.  1446. — Instructions  issued  to  the  commissioners 
who  were  appointed  to  borrow  money  in  the  counties  of  Norfolk, 
Suffolk,  Essex,  and  Herts ;— whereunto  is  annexed  a  letter  of  credence 
in  their  favour         --.         _         .  _  -p*  46 — 49 

— -  Jfdyt  24  Hen.  VL  1446. — Minutes  of  CaunciL  Memoranda  of  com- 
plaints made  by  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  of  London  of  impositions 
committed  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  by  the  wool-packers> 
wine-gaugers,  and  wine-drawers,  who  farmed  their  offices  to  <*  men 
of  litell  haveour  and  valeur ;"— of  certain  games  played  at  Blanke 
Chap^lton ;— of  the  non-payment  of  the  impositions  laid  by  Parlia- 


}^^^  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.         is 

meDt  on  strangers  residing  in  the  parish  of  St.  Martin ; — and  of  the 
undue  exercise  of  tlie  liberties  of  the  Tower.  It  was  advised,  that  in 
case  the  treaty  for  peace  should  be  prorogued  from  November  until 
March,  a  convention  should  be  held  on  the  river  between  Maunt 
and  Melant:— Sir  Tliomas  Stanley  to  be  commanded  to  convey 
Eleanor  Cobham  to  the  Isle  of  Man : — Confirmation  to  be  granted 
under  the  great  seal  to  all  persons  who  had  wages,  fees,  or  offices 
lor  life,  by  the  grant  of  the  Duke  of  ^*arwick,  during  the  minority  of 
Anne  his  daughter  and  heir: — Wages  for  three  months  to  be  paid  to 
the  Bishop  of  Chichester  and  Lord  Dudley,  who  were  going  on  an 
embassy  to  France: — ^^100  to  be  paid  to  Sir  Richard  Wydvile  for 
his  labour  and  expenses  in  going  twice  to  Calais      -      -    p.  50—52 

1961  Jmfyy  24  Hen.  VL  1440^—71^  50  marks  to  be  paid  to  Michael  de 
Paris,  the  King's  secretary,  as  a  reward  for  remaining  in  England 
since  Christmas,  and  returning  home  with  a  message  from  the  King 

p.  52 

20th  Jtdy,  2^jffen.VL  1446.— i^.  The  Clerk  of  the  Hanaper  to  be 
directed  to  pay  the  Bishop  of  Chichester  and  Lord  Dudley,  the  am- 
bassadors to  France.  In  reply  to  Scales  and  Oldehall,  messengers 
from  the  Duke  of  York,  the  Council  stated  that  it  was  the  King*s 
pleasure  that  he  should  have  200  spears,  with  the  bows  thereto,  to 
indent  at  Michaelmas,  and  to  have  payment  in  hand  for  three  months, 
after  the  wages  of  England,  and  from  month  to  month  for  the  second 
quarter,  after  the  wages  of  France.  Deliberation  was  held  as  to  the 
number  of  ships  to  be  provided  for  the  King's  voyage,  and  the  time 
when  and  the  place  where  they  should  assemble : — Wages  for  three 
months  to  be  paid  to  the  Bishop  of  Chichester  and  Lord  Dudley,  the 
ambassadors  to  France,  and  ^20  for  their  shipping  ;^their  instruc- 
tions were  read  and  passed ; — Garter  King  of  Arms,  and  a  pursuivant, 
were  appointed  to  go  with  them,  and  were  to  be  paid  as  before ; — 
letters  to  the  King's  uncle,  and  <<  letters  of  familiarity"  to  all  the  cap- 
tains in  Normandy,  were  to  be  given  to  the  ambassadors: — The 
bishops  and  other  ecclesiastics  to  be  treated  with  to  pay  their  tenths, 
and  persons  were  to  be  appointed  to  raise  money,  giving  assign- 
ments for  it  upon  the  second  grant  in  Parliament : — The  Earl  of  Or- 
mond  was  commanded  by  the  Chancellor,  in  the  King's  name,  under 
pain  of  forfeiture,  not  to  go  more  than  forty  miles  from  London,  except 
on  a  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury,  without  the  King's  permission,  and  to 
hold  himself  in  readiness  to  answer  before  the  King  and  Council : — 
The  Sheriffs  of  London,  being  questioned,  stated  that  they  had  not 
demanded  scutage  from  the  Genoese  this  year,  and  that  they  were 
ignorant  of  the  sum  due  to  them  for  the  time  during  which  they  had 
been  sheriffs  -  -  -  -  "    P-  52 — 54 

22Hd  Jufyy  24  Hen.  VL  1446.— AtdL  10  marks  to  be  paid  to  Michael 
de  Paris,  the  King's  secretary,  who  was  going  to  France  with  the 
anobassadors  -  -  *  -  •  -p.  54 


«  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE-      [26  H«n.  VT. 

« 

25  Hen.  VI.  144()-7- 

19^  Octcbety  25  ^en.  F/.  1446.— Writ  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy  seal^ 
directing  him  to  issue  warrants  to  John  Stanley,  esquire,  serjeant  of 
the  armoury,  commanding  him  to  provide  armour  and  weapons  for 
John  Davy,  who  had  appealed  William  Catour  of  London  of  treason, 
and  had  been  appointed  by  the  Constable  and  Marshal  of  England 

•  to  do  battle  with  him ;  and  to  Sir  John  Steward  and  Sir  John  Astley, 
knights,  Edmund  Hampden  and  Thomas  Montgomery,  esquires, 
and  Thomas  Parker,  armourer,  to  be  '<  intendant  and  of  counsel  **  to 
the  appellant;  and  to  Sir  Thomas  Gray,  Sir  Robert  Shotesbroke, 
John  Lovell  and  John  Sharpe,  esquires,  and  to  Harman,  armourer^ 
to  be  ^'  intendant  and  of  counsel "  to  the  defendant  -        •        p.  55 

leth  Navember^  25  Hen.  VL  1446.— Writ  to  Philip  Treher,  fishmonger, 
of  London,  commanding  him  to  be  intendant  and  of  counsel  to  John 
Davy  the  appellant  above  mentioned  •  -  -    p.  56 

14^  Decembery  25  Hen.  VL  1446.— Writ  to  Master  Hugh  Payne  and 
Jolm  Latimer,  commanding  them  to  be  intendant  and  of  counsel  to 
William  Catour  the  defendant  above  mentioned  -  -    p.  57 

November  or  December^  25  Hen^VL  1446^ — Letter  from  the  King  to  the 
Earl  of  Ormond,  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower,  who  had  been  accused  of 
treason  by  Thomas  Fitz-Thomas,  prior  of  Kilmain,  and  was  about  to 
do  battle  with  the  Prior  in  Smithfield,  giving  him  licence,  and 
informing  him  that  the  Constable  of  the  Tower  had  been  directed 
to  permit  him  to  reside  in  some  place  near  Smithfield,  **  for  his 
breathing  and  more  ease  against  the  said  day"  -  -     p.  57 

Ibid, — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Exeter,  authorizing  him  to 

•  convey  the  Earl  of  Ormond  to  some  place  near  Smithfield,  two  day* 
or  any  shorter  time  the  Earl  might  wish,  before  the  day  of  battle 

p.  58 
28^  December^  25  Hen*VL  1446.^ — ^Writ,  authorizing  the  payment  of 
£20  by  way  of  reward  to  Philip  Treher,  fishmonger,  for  his  atten- 
dance and  labour  as  well  ^'  in  teaching  certain  points  of  arms  unto 
the  Prior  of  Kilmain,  which  late  appealed  the  Earl  of  Ormond  of  hault 
treason,  as  in  teaching  and  counselling  John  Davy,  which  late  appealed 
one  John  Catour  of  treason  also"        -  -  -  -    p.  59 

19^  Marchy  25  Hen.  VL  \Wl ^r-^Minutes  of  the  Council  Letters  to  be 
written  to  the  King  of  Scots  relative  to  the  keeping  of  the  truce  :^ 
The  constables  and  others  in  Wales  to  be  directed  to  see  to  the  safe* 
guard  of  the  fortresses  there: — The  captain  of  Berwick  to  go  thither 
for  the  safeguard  thereof :— An  answer  to  be  given  to  the  soldiers 
there  "  of  such  things  as  they  ask  "  in  Easter  Term  next : — Letters  to 
be  sent  to  Bourdeaux,  giving  the  King's  assent  to  the  election  of  the 
Abbot  chosen  by  the  convent  of  the  abbey  of  Saint  Croix^  and  to  the 
Pope,  requesting  him  to  confirm  the  same,  and  to  revoke  all  whieh 


1447^.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xi 

he  had  done  in  favour  of  any  other  person : — The  Lords  of  the  Coun- 
cil, and  such  others  as  should  seem  good  to  the  Chancellor,  were  to 
be  directed  to  assemble  at  the  beginning  of  next  term,  and  at  such 
time  as  the  ambassadors  of  the  King's  uncle  should  arrive  in  Eng* 
land: — A  safeguard  for  three  years  to  be  granted  to  the  fellowship 
of  the  Hanse  Towns : — 10  marks  to  be  given  to  Collar  Pursuivant ; 
lOOf.  to  the  pursuivant  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans ;  and  100  crowns  to 
a  mesaenger  sent  from  the  King's  uncle  to  the  King  at  Bury :— - 
A  commission  made  to  certain  persons  for  repoisage  of  wool  at  the 
staple  of  Calais  to  be  revoked.  These  Minutes  have  the  King's 
initials  at  the  commencement  and  end    -         -  -        p.  60 — 61 


27  Hen.  VI.  1448-9. 

« 

5(M  OdobeTf  27  Hen*  VL  1448. — Answers  given  by  the  King  and 
Council  to  certain  articles  delivered  by  Garter  King  of  Arms  on  be« 
half  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  lieutenant  general  of  France,  and 
other  the  King's  ambassadors  there.  As  these  articles,  and  the  ai\r 
swers  thereto,  are  in  English,  it  is  unnecessary  to  abstract  them 

p.  62—64 

ifd Februariff  27  Hen.VL  1449.-* Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Bishop 
of  Durham,  the  Earl  of  Westmoreland,  the  Lords  Clifford,  Greystoke, 
Dacre,  and  others,  requesting  them  to  remain  on  the  marches  of 
Scotland  to  prevent  the  aggressions  of  the  Scotch,  instead  of  attend* 
ing  the  Parliament  which  had  been  summoned  to  meet  at  Westminster 
on  the  12th  of  that  month  -  -  •  -  -    p.  65 

18iA  Fdmuuy^  27  Hen,  VL  1449.— Petition  to  the  King  from  William 
Strete,  a  monk  of  the  abbey  of  Glastonbury,  praying  for  letters  of 
pardon,  he  having  without  the  King's  licence  obtained  a  papal  bull, 
authorizing  him  to  remove  from  the  said  abbey,  and  to  be  resident  in 
another  place  of  the  same  Order,  or  in  a  ^*  harder  Order,'*  to  the 
intent  the  more  devoutly  to  serve  and  please  Almighty  God: — 
which  was  granted      -  -  -  -  -  -    p.  66 

28*&  FArwxry^  27  Hen,  VL  1449.— Petition  to  the  King  from  Dame 
Margaret  Lyie,  late  prioress  of  Rowney  in  Hertfordshire,  and  her 
sisters,  stating  that  they  could  have  no  priest  to  pray  for  the  King's 
health  and  prosperity,  **  but  if  thei  wold  have  a  yonge  preste,  the 
which  were  not  covenable  for  him,  or  ellys  askyn  so  moche  and  grete 
salary  that  it  is  importable  for  them  to  here ;"  that  friar  John  Tyvn* 
ham,  "  the  which  is  a  good  prechour,  and  is  ther  goostly  fader  and  of 
good  conversation,"  was  desirous  of  doing  divine  service  there ;  and 
praying  that  letters  of  privy  seal  might  be  directed  to  Thomas 
RodenorC}  doctor  and  provincial  minister,  <<  he  to  amytte  the  foresaid 


xii  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.        [27  Hen.  VL 

frere  John  Tyvnham  his  lettre  of  obedience  to  be  redy  and  enten- 
daunt  to  your  said  besechers^  and  to  the  said  house  of  Rowney" 

p.  67 
17^  March^  27  HefuVL  l^iQ.— Instructions  (in  English)  issue^  to  Wil- 
liam Pirton,  esquircy  lieutenant  of  Guisnes,  and  Edward  Grimston, 
esquire,  the  commissioners  who  were  appointed  to  treat  with  the 
Duchess  of  Burgundy  respecting  commercial  intercourse     p.  60 — 73 
18^  Marchf  27  Hen.  VL  1449. — Writ  to  the  Chancellor,  commanding 
him  to  issue  letters  patent  for  the  payment  of  500  marks  of  the 
tenths  and  fifteenths  next  to  be  granted  by  the  commons  and 
clergy  to  William  Cantelowe,  who  had  paid  that  sum  to  the  Bastard 
of  Saint  Paul  as  a  compensation  for  <<  appatisementes/'  which  had  been 
taken  by  the  garrison  of  Crotoy  in  contravention  of  the  truce  between 
the  King  and  the  Duchess  of  Burgundy  -  -  -    p.  73 

11^  June,  27  Hen.VL  1449.— Writ  to  the  Mayor  and  Sheriffs  of  Lon- 
don,  charging  them  to  issue  a  proclamation  forbidding  all  persons  to 
molest  the  subjects  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy  residing  in  London  and 
the  suburbs  thereof,  they  having  been,  by  reason  of  reports  which 
had  been  circulated,  of  the  evil  intentions  of  the  Duke  towards 
Calais,  <'  trowbled,  spoyled,  and  undewly  vexed,  hurt,  and  cruelly 
entreted  dayly,  aswel  by  souldiours  going  towardes  the  said  towne 
for  the  defence  of  the  same,  as  other  people"        -        -        -    p.  74 
2nd  Jvly^  27  Hen.VL  1449. — Petition  to  the  King  from  William  bishop 
of  Coventry  and  Lichfield,  stating,  that  there  were  in  the  county  and 
city  of  Chester  many  adulterers,  fornicators,  and  other  misdoers, 
whom  his  officers  dare  not  correct  on  account  of  the  maintenance 
which  they  had  of  '^  mighty  men**  within  the  said  county ;  and  praying 
for  power  to  cite  persons  residing  within  the  said  shire  into  any  other 
places  of  his  diocese,  in  all  causes  and  matters  concerning  the  law  of 
holy  church  -  -  -  -  -  -    p.  75 

%Oth  Jvly^  27  BenJVL  1449«^ — Instructions  issued  to  John  Lord  Dudley 
and  Doctor  Thomas  Kent,  clerk  of  the  Council,  the  ambassadors 
appointed  to  treat  with  the  Duchess  of  Burgundy  for  reformation  of 
attempts  against  the  truce,  and  respecting  commercial  intercourse. 
As  these  instructions  are  in  English  it  is  unnecessary  to  notice  them 
more  fully  -  -  -  -  -  -    P-  76 — 85 

18M  Augusl^  27  Hen.VL  l449^--0rdinaneei  of  the  King.  The  Treasurer 
and  Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer  to  receive  from  the  executors  of 
Cardinal  Beaufort  such  of  the  King's  jewels  as  he  had  in  pledge  for 
j£  2,040,  to  make  an  assignment  to  them  of  that  sum  upon  the  first 
part  of  the  half  disme  granted  to  the  King  in  the  last  Convocation,  and 
to  deliver  the  said  jewels  to  Reynold  abbot  of  Gloucester,  and  Thomas 
Mansell,  esquire,  in  pledge  for  as  great  a  sum  as  they  would  lend  there- 
on : — Assignments  to  be  made  upon  the  fifteenth  and  tenth  granted  in 
the  last  Parliament  and  Convocation  for  the  payment  of  ^100  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbuty,  ^1,000  to  the  Duke  of  Suffolk,  and  £500 


l«d-5a]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xiii 

to  the  Lard  Privy  Seal,  which  sums  they  had  lent  in  money,  jewels, 
and  plate,  in  aid  of  setting  forth  the  armies  under  Lord  Powis,  Lord 
Zouche's  son,  and  Sir  Robert  Veer.  This  Ordinance  is  signed  with 
the  Kings  "  own  hand "  -  «  .  -    p. 86 


28  Hen.VI.  1449-50. 

I6tk  November,  9»  Hen.VI.  144.9.  —  Petition  to  the  King  from  Lord 
Beauchamp,  master  of  the  horse,  praying  that  the  Treasurer  and 
Barons  of  the  Exchequer  might  be  directed  to  account  with  him  as 
well  for  all  sums  of  money  received  by  him  since  the  15th  of  Fe- 
bruary, as  of  all  horses,  saddles,  bridles,  and  other  harness  bought  by 
him,  of  horses  presented  by  the  King  to  different  persons,  and  de- 
livered by  Lord  Beauchamp  to  the  almoner,  of  horses  which  died 
of  the  murrain,  and  of  all  other  expenses  relative  to  his  office  : 
which  was  granted  -  ,  .  -     d  87 

28rt  Nacember,  28  Hen.  VI.  1449— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  i24 
to  the  Dean  of  St.  Paul's,  who  had  performed  the  duty  of  keeper  of 
the  privy  seal  during  the  absence  of  the  Bishop  of  Chichester  on  a 
treaty  with  the  ambassadors  of  Scotland,  at  Durham,  at  the  rate  of 
2Qe.  per  diem  -  -  .  .  _  -     d.  89 

ak  December,  28  Hen.  VI.  1449— Warrant  for  the  payment  or  assign- 
ment  of  ^€1,200  to  Richard  Duke  of  York,  who,  by  indenture  dated 
on  the  30th  July,  ao  27  (1449),  was  retained  as  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
Ireland,  for  ten  years,  at  the  rate  of  4,000  marks  for  the  first,  and 
2,000  marks  for  every  subsequent  year  -  .  -     d  89 

Uth  February,  28  Hen.  VL  1450.^Warrant  for  the  payment"  of  five 
marks  to  John  Abery,  who  had  brought  tidings  from  the  Duke  of 
Somerset  and  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  .  .  -    p  90 

17th  Febmary,  apparenay  in  the  2Sth  Hen.  VI.  1450.— Writ  to  the 
mayors,  bailiffs,  and  inhabitants  of  Canterbury,  Maidstone,  Col- 
chester, Sandwich,  Oxford,  Winchelsea,  and  Sudbury,  referring  to 
letters  which  had  been  sent  to  them,  and  which  had  been  transmitted 
by  them  to  the  King,  whereby  it  appeared  that  attempu  were  made 
to  raise  assemblies  and  gatherings  of  the  King's  subjects,  in  defiance 
of  his  proclamations  and  laws,  and  commanding  them  to  give  no  faith 
or  credence  to  the  said  letters,  and  to  suffer  no  such  gatherings  or 
assemblies  to  be  held  amongst  them        -  -  .    p,  90—92 

de&  May,  28  Hen.  VL  145a— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  20».  to 
Thomas  Kent,  doctor  of  laws,  "  clerk  of  our  council  "  in  oure  am- 
bassiate,  as  well  to  oure  towne  of  Calais  for  to  mete  with  th  ambas- 
satours  of  tiie  Duk  of  Borgoigne  for  reparation  of  attemptats.  as 
unto  tharchbisshop  of  Cologne  for  suche  matiers  as  we  have  charged 
him  with  in  yat  partie "  -  .  .  ,  -     p.  92 

17lA  May,  28  Hen.  VL  1450.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Master  Andrew 


xiT  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  [28  H«k.  VI. 

Holes,  keeper  of  the  privy  geal,  commanding  him  to  issue  a  warrant 
for  the  payment,  to  Richard  duke  of  York,  of  4,700  marks,  due  to 
him  as  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  and  jf  6,000,  being  the  arrear  of  an 
annuity  payable  to  him  in  the  ports  of  London  and  Hull  and  at  the 
Exchequer        --  -  -  -  -  -p.  92 

2SrdJuney  28  Hen.  VI.  1450.— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  je46  IS«. 
to  Thomas  Vaughan,  esquire,  master  of  the  ordnance,  for  "  certain 
stuff  of  ordnance,"  a  list  of  which  is  annexed,  purveyed  by  him,  and 
brought  with  the  King  into  the  field  on  the  20th  of  June        -    p.  94 

SO^  Jkim,  28  Hen.  VL  1450.— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  jf  100  for 
victualling  the  Tower,  and  for  other  stuff  necessary  for  the  safeguard 
thereof  -  -  -  -  -  -  -p.  95 

\ti  Jvhfy  2^6  Htn^VL  1450. — Letters  patent  appointing  Sir  Thomas 
Stanley  and  Sir  Thomas  Harrington  commissioners  of  array  in  the 
counties  of  Chester  and  Lancaster        -        -        -        -        -    p.  95 

12^  «7u/y,  28  ^€91.  VL  1450.— Letters  patent  whereby  the  Treasurer 
of  England,  Sir  Thomas  Tyrell,  Richard  Waller,  esquire,  and  the 
Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer,  were  empowered  to  seize,  to  the 
King's  use,  all  goods,  chattels,  jewels,  and  sums  of  money  which  he 
who  called  himself  John  Mortimer,  and  his  adherents  in  the  county  of 
Kent,  took  and  carried  away  with  them ;  and  to  expend  such  portion 
thereof  as  to  them  should  seem  fit,  for  the  advantage  of  the  King 
and  of  his  realm,  especially  in  taking  the  said  John  Mortimer  and 
his  adherents        -  -         -         -         -         -         --p.  96 

14^  Jvly^  28  Hen.  VL  145a— Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Chamberlains 
of  the  Exchequer,  commanding  them  to  use  their  utmost  exertions 
in  seizing  **  alle  suche  goodes  as  that  fals  traytour  oon  callyng  him 
self  John  Mortymer  late  brought  in  to  cure  towne  of  Rochester,  or 
that  in  any  wyse  belonged  unto  him,  be  it  gold,  silver  in  coyne  or 
plate,  clothes  of  gold,  arras,  or  any  other  good  what  ever  it  be,**  and 
to  employ  the  same  for  the  advantage  of  the  King  and  of  his  realm 

p.  97 

nth  Juli/y  28  Hen.  VL  145a— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  if  10  ta 
Master  Andrew  Hooles,  keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  for  his  expenses 
incurred  in  travelling  into  Sussex  and  Kent,  for  the  purpose  of 
speaking  **  with  him  that  called  himself  Capitain  of  Kent;"  and  jf  10 
for  the  conveyance  of  certain  letters  of  credence  from  the  Council 
to  the  King  -  -  -  -  -  -p.  97 

i8th  Jufyf  28  Hen.  VL  1450^— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  the  ex- 
penses of  the  commissioners  who  went  to  Rochester  *'  to  arreste  cer- 
tain goodes  yat  were  late  in  ye  governaunce  of  oon  John  Mortimer* 
traitoure,  callyng  himself  Capitaigne  of  Kent  *'  -  -  -  p.  98 
Und. — Warrant  for  the  delivery  of  six  horses,  **  yat  late  that  traitour, 
calling  him  capitaigne  of  Kent,  hadde,"  to  Master  Andrew  Holes, 
keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  who  was  about  to  make  a  journey  in  the 
King's  service  -  -         -         -         ---p.  99 


1450-51.]      CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.        xr 

24A August  28  Hen.VL  1450w— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  500  marks 
to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  other  executors  of  Lord 
Fanhope,for  a  collar  called  ^  Ikylford  Collar/'  which  had  been  pledged 
to  them  for  that  sum,  and  which  had,  at  the  King*s  request,  been 
surrendered  for  the  Queen  s  coronation        -  -  -    p.  99 

25M  Augusty  28  Hen.  VI.  1450.— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  100«.  to 
Artois  King  of  Arms  of  the  Duchess  of  Burgundy,  who  had  brought 
letters  from  her  to  the  King  -  -  -  *    P'  ^^ 

MeL — Warrant  to  the  Keeper  of  the  great  wardrobe  for  the  delivery  of 
twenty  yards  of  fine  black  cloth  to  Gerard  Boot,  a  monk  of  the  Char^ 
terhouse,  the  confessor  of  the  Queen  of  Scotland,  who  had,  as  he 
asserted,  been  robbed  by  the  King's  subjects  on  his  voyage  from 
Scotland  to  Flanders        -  -  -  -  -p.  100 

JlfkL — Warrant  for  the  delivery  of  jf 40  out  ^  of  the  goodes  that  that 
fals  traitour  John  Cade,  calling  him  Mortymer,'*  brought  to  Rochester, 
to  the  bailifis  of  that  city,  for  the  construction  of  the  gate  thereof 
next  towards  Canterbury     *  •  -  -  -    P*  101 


29  Hen.  VI.  1450-1. 


Sfd  October,  29  ffefi.  VL  1450^— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  jf40  to 
Edmund  Duke  of  Somerset,  who  took  in  the  county  of  Kent  ^  a  risarft 
ayenst  oure  pees,  oon  John  Smyth,  that  called  himself  Capitaigne  of 
Kent,"  and  20  marks  daily  to  the  said  Duke,  who  was  going  again 
into  Kent,  *^  to  see  and  ordeigne  that  good  rest  and  pees  be  among 
oore  people  there,  and  to  chastise  ther  the  contrarie  labourers 
therof        ...  -  -  .    p.  101 

I2ih  October,  29  fferuVL  1450.— Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Barons  of 
the  Exchequer,  commanding  them  to  stay  the  proceedings  which 
they  had  adopted  against  William  de  la  Barre,  administrator  of  the 
goods  and  chattels  of  Louis  late  administrator  of  the  Bishoprick  of 
Ely,  for  the  recovery  of  a  horse  with  a  saddle  and  bridle,  a  hat,  a  cloaks 
a  ring,  a  cup,  a  lavour,  and  a  mute  of  hounds,  which  belonged  to  the 
said  Louis,  **  by  right  and  custume  of  olde  tyme  hadde  and  used 
perteignyng,"  to  the  King,  the  said  William  having  long  since  paid 
the  same  -  -  -  -  -  -    p,  102 

2Mt  December,  29  HefuVL  1450.— Writ  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy 
seal,  stating  that  Hugh  Forde,  a  servant  of  Lord  Scales,  had  been 
committed  to  prison  during  the  sitting  of  Parliament,  and  that  the 
Kbg,  being  willing  that  the  privileges  of  Parliament  should  be  main- 
tained, commanded  him  to  issue  a  warrant  to  the  Constable  and 
Marshal  of  England  for  the  release  of  the  said  Forde  -    p*  lOS 

25th  January,  29Htn.  VL  1451.— Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Barons  of 
the  Exchequer,  commanding  them  not  to  surcease  for  making  apy 


xvi  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  [29-SOHeh.VL 

process,  or  to  abstain  from  proceeding  to  judgment,  in  consequence 
of  any  letters  or  warrant  which  had  been  or  might  afterwards  be 
directed  to  them  by  the  King,  except  such  only  as  passed  by  the 
advice  of  the  Council         -  -  -  -  -    P-  ^04s 

€th  Mayy  29  Hm.  VL  145L— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  lOOs.  to 
Clarenceaux  King  of  Arms,  who  was  going  into  Scotland  with  letters 
of  safe  conduct  for  the  Scotch  ambassadors,  who  were  to  meet  the 
King's  commissioners  at  Newcastle,  for  the  reparation  of  attempts 
against  the  truce        -  -  -  -         -  -    p  IM 

^Oih  May^  29  Hen.VL  1451. — An  Indenture,  containing  a  list  of  jewels 
which  were  delivered  by  John  Powtrell  to  John  Wynn,  citizen  and 
jeweller  of  London,  by  command  of  the  Lords  of  the  Council 

p.  105—107 

28^  June^  29Hen.VL  1451.— Petition  to  the  King  from  Thomas 
Canynges  and  William  Hulyn,  late  Sheriffs  of  London,  praying  that 
allowance  might  be  made  to  them  in  their  account  of  the  expenses 
which  they  had  incurred  in  sending  the  quarters  of  various  persons 
whose  names  are  mentioned,  one  of  whom  was  Mortimer  the  *^  Cap- 
tain of  Kent  **  who  had  been  executed  for  treason,  to  Chichester, 
Rochester,  Colchester,  Canterbury,  Norwich,  Stamford,  Qoventry, 
Newbury,  Winchester,  Blackheath,  Norwich,  Salisbury,  and  Glou- 
cester, and  in  affixing  the  heads  of  several  traitors  on  London 
Bridge -    p- 107—109 

Sih  July^  29  Hen.  VL  1451. — Warrant  for  the  payment  of  lOOf.  to 
Snowden  Herald  who  had  brought  letters  from  the  King  of  Scotland 

p.  109 

24^4  July^  29  Hen.  VL  145l« — ^Warrant  for  the  delivery  of  a  bond  of 
William  de  Harcourt  earl  of  Tankervill  for  6,000  crowns,  being 
a  portion  of  the  security  for  the  ransom  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  to 
Sir  Henry  Redford,  a  prisoner  in  France,  to  enable  him  to  pay 
his  ransom  -  -  -  -  •  «    p.  109 

^!nd  Auguii^  29  Hen.  VL.  1451. — ^Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Chamber- 
lains of  the  Exchequer,  commanding  them  to  send  various  muni* 
ments  therein  mentioned,  relating  to  truces  with  Burgundy  and  to  the 
affairs  of  France,  to  the  King  and  his  Council  at  Canterbury     p.  110 

XOihAuffusti  29  Hen.  VL  1451.— Warrant  for  the  payment  to  John  Lord 
Beauchamp  of  ^39,  which  he  had  advanced  for  the  payment  of  the 
shipping  employed  in  conveying  men-at-arms  and  archers  to  Calais. 
Annexed  is  a  list  of  the  vessels,  with  the  number  of  saOors  in 
each  ..-..-.    p.  112 


SO  Hen- VL  1451-2. 

15th  Febrtutry^  30  Hen.  VL.  1452. — Warrant  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy 
seal,  commanding  him  to  issue  letters  directing  the  Treasurer  and 
X])hamberlains  of  the  Exchequer  to  grant  a  discharge  to  J(Aii 


1452.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xvii 

Poutrell  of  certain  jewels,  which,  by  virtue  of  letters  patent  dated  on 
the  15th  of  May,  a**  29,  had  been  delivered  by  him  to  John  Wynne, 
citizen  and  jeweller  of  London,  for  the  King's  use,  which  jewels  the 
said  John  Poutrell  had  received  as  part  of  the  security  for  the 
repayment  of  £600^  which  he  had  lent  to  the  King  on  the 
3rd  of  February,  ao  28    .        -  -  -  -    p.  114 — 116 

17iA  Fdmuxry,  MHm.VL  1452.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Cob- 
ham,  who  had  neglected  to  attend  a  Council  whereto  he  had  been 
summoned,  and  peremptorily  commanding  him,  under  pain  of  the 
King's  displeasure,  to  appear  before  him  forthwith,  and  to  perform 
such  service  as  befitted  a  true  liegeman         -  -  -    p.  116 

8^  Mardi,  80  Hen.  VL  1452. — Warrant  for  granting  licence  to  the 
mayor  and  burgesses  of  Newcastle-upon-Tyne  to  export  *<  shor- 
ling  lamb's  skins  and  calves  skins  "  grown  within  the  counties  of 
Northumberland,  Westmoreland,  and  Cumberland,  and  the  bishop- 
rick  of  Durham,  to  Bruges  and  Middleburgh,  for  three  years 

p.  117— 119 
14^  Marchy  30  Hen.  VL  1452.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Clifford, 
thanking  him  for  his  services;  informing  him  that  it  was  the  intention 
of  the  Adversary  of  France  to  besiege  Calais  and  other  places  in  the 
marches  there,  and  afterwards  to  invade  England  ;  for  the  prevention 
of  which  the  King  was  about  to  raise  an  army,  had  appointed  the 
Earl  of  Shrewsbury  to  have  the  command  thereof  upon  the  sea, 
and  had  ordered  the  Grace  de  Dieu  and  other  ships  lying  in  the 
Thames  and  at  Sandwich  and  Winchilsea  to  be  in  readiness ; 
requesting  him  to  use  his  utmost  endeavours  to  induce  owners 
of  ships,  knights,  esquires,  and  others,  to  render  service  herein, 
and  to  conduct,  with  all  possible  speed,  such  ships  and  men  as  should 
be  arrested,  to  the  Downs  of  Sandwich  or  to  the  Camber 

p.  119— 122 

llnd4 — Copy  of  letters  of  credence  in  favour  of  Lord  Clifford,  alluded 

to  in  the  preceding  letter       -  -  -  -  -    p.  122 

93Md  March,  30  Hen.VI.  1452.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Clifford, 

enclosing  instructions  for  the  performance  of  the  duties  entrusted  to 

him  by  letter  dated  on  the  14th  of  the  same  month,  and  urging  the 

speedy  execution  thereof       -  -  -  -        -    p.  123 

IbUL — Instructions  alluded  to  in  the  preceding  letter       -         -    p.  124 

4M  Matfy  $0  Hen.  VI.  1452.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Poynings 

warden  of  the  East  Marches  towards  Scotland,  Sir  Robert  Ogle, 

lieutenant  of  Tyndale,  John  Heron  of  Ford,  lieutenant  of  Redesdale, 

and  Ralph  Grey,  lieutenant  of  Roxburgh,  referring  to  violations  o 

the  truce  by  the  followers  of  the  Earl  of  Douglas,  and  of  reprisals 

which  had  been  made  by  the  English,  and  commanding  them  to 

caose  the  truce  to  be  strictly  observed        -  -  -    p.  125 

JbkL — Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Po3mings,  informing  him  that  his 

letters  to  the  Chancellor,  notifying  to  him  the  violation  of  the  truce 

VOL.  VI.  [b] 


xviii  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.    [90-Sl  Hek.VI. 

with  Scotland,  had  been  submitted  to  the  Council,  and  that  instruc- 
tions had  been  issued  to  the  persons  therein  named  -  p.  126 
^latJUatf,  30  Hen.  VL  1452. — Petition  to  the  King  from  Robert  Poyn- 
ings,  praying  that  writs  of  supersedeas  might  be  directed  to  the 
escheators  of  Sussex  and  Kent,  who,  by  virtue  of  an  exigend  of 
treason  which  had  been  awarded  against  him  before  the  justices  of 
oyer  and  terminer  in  the  county  of  Kent,  whilst  he  was  a  prisoner 
in  the  Tower,  had  seized  all  his  goods  and  chattels : — ^which  was 
granted         "            -            -            -            -            -  •?•  ^^ 


31  Hen.VL  1452-S. 


IIM  Ma^f  31  H&uVL  1453. — Memorandum,  stating  that  on  this  day, 
in  a  Court  holden  at  Whitehall  by  the  lieutenant  of  the  Constable  of 
England,  John  Lyalton  appealed  Robert  Norreys  of  high  treason ; 
that  the  25th  of  the  same  month  was  appointed  for  them  to  do  battle 
in  Smithfield;  that  they  should  fight  with  glaive,  short  sword, 
dagger,  and  axe,  instead  of  long  sword;  that  council,  who  are 
named,  were  assigned  to  them ;  that  it  was  therefore  necessary 
that  the  sherifis  of  London  should  be  directed  to  gravel  and  sand 
the  place,  to  erect  a  scaffold  for  the  King,  and  to  make  lists  and 
barriers  for  the  battle  ;  and  that  the  Serjeant  of  the  King's  armoury 
should  be  commanded  to  provide  armour  and  weapons  for  the  com- 
batants -  -  -  -  -         -    p.  129 

16^i  Mayy  apparently  SUt  Hen.  VL  1453. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir 
Thomas  Stanley  and  Sir  Thomas  Harington,  informing  them  that 
the  Duke  of  Exeter,  Lord  Egremont,  and  others,  had  made  great 
assemblies  and  gatherings  of  the  people,  that  the  Duke  of  York 
had  been  appointed  to  suppress  the  same,  and  commanding  them  to 
assist  him  therein     -  -  -  -  -  -p.  130 

Between  thellthand  25th May,  31  Hen.  VL  1453.^Petition  to  the  King 
from  John  Lyalton,  who  had  appealed  Robert  Norreys  of  treason, 
praying  that  letters  of  privy  seal  might  be  issued  for  carrying  into 
effect  the  ordinances  which  had  been  made  in  the  Court  of  the 
Constable  of  England  :— (  Vide  the  memorandum  of  the  11th  May) 

p.  132 

On  or  about  25rd  May,  31  Hen.  VL  U5S.^Minutes  efihe  CaunciL  The 
sherifis  of  London  to  be  directed  to  make  a  scaffold  for  the  King, 
and  lists  and  barriers,  and  to  gravel  and  sand  the  ground  in  Smiths 
field ;  armour  and  weapons  to  be  delivered  by  the  Serjeant  of  the 
King's  arms  to  John  Lyalton,  the  appellant;  and  Tliomas  Bee, 
painter,  to  be  one  of  his  council  -  -  -    p.  13S 

2,3rd  May,  31  Hen.  VL  1453 — Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John  Asteley, 


U5$.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.        xix 

knight,  and  Thomas  Montgomery,  esquire,  appointing  them  to  be  of 

council  to  John  Lyalton,  the  appellant        -  -  -    p.  134 

SUh  May^  31  Hen.  VL  1453. — Letter  of  similar  import  from  the  King  to 

Thomas  Bee,  painter  -  -  -  -    p.  134 

Md, — Letter  from  the  King  to  Jenkyn  Stanley,  serjeant  of  arms, 

conmianding  him  to  deliver  arms  and  weapons  to  the  appellant 

p.  135 
iM.— Writ  to  the  Sheri&  of  London,  commanding  them  to  prepare 
barriers  and  lists  in  West  Smithfield,  to  have  the  same  well  gravelled 
and  sanded,  and  also  to  erect  a  scaffold  -  -    p.  135. 

29A  Mayy  31  Heiu  VL  1453. — Petition  to  the  King  from  John  Lyalton, 
the  appellant,  praying  for  a  grant  of  money  to  enable  him  to  pur- 
chase necessaries  for  the  ensuing  battle,  and  that  Clampard  the 
smith  might  be  commanded  to  deliver  weapons  to  him  : — Five  marks 
were  granted  to  him  -  -  -  -  ~    P*  ^^6 

22iNf  Jtfft«,   31  He$i.  VL  1453.— Petition  to  the  King  from   Robert 
Norreys,  the  defendant,  to  the  same  effect  (mutatis  mutandis)  as  that 
from  Lyalton,  the  appellant,  dated  between  the  11th  and  25th  of 
May  -  -  -  -  -    p.  137 

Ibid, — ^Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  Hugh  John  and  others,  appointing 
them  to  be  of  council  to  Robert  Norreys,  the  defendant      -    p.  138 
Ibid* — Memorandum  containing  the  names  of  those  who  were  ap- 
pointed to  be  of  council  to  the  appellant  and  defendant  in  the  above* 
mentioned  appeal      -  -  -  -  -    p.  139 

^^rdJuney  SI  Hen.  VL  1453. — Petition  to  the  King  from  John  Lyalton, 
the  appellant,  praying  for  a  tent  or  pavilion  for  the  day  of  battle, 
and  that  Clampard  the  smith  might  be  commanded  to  deliver  to  him 
such  weapons  as  were  necessary  -  -  -    p.  139 

7<ft  June,  31  Hen.VL  1453. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremont, 
peremptorily  commanding  him  to  appear  before  the  Council  with  all 
haste  possible  -  -  -  -      p.  140 

^6ih  June,  31  Hen.  VI.  1453. — Letter  to  the  same,  rebuking  him  for  his 
non-compliance  with  the  various  mandates  which  he  had  received  to 
appear  before  the  Council,  and  commanding  him  to  attend  them  in  all 
baste,  and  in  the  meantime  to  keep  the  peace  towards  all  the  King's 
subjects  -  -  -  -  -    p.  141 

Ibid* — ^Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John  Neville,  referring  to  disputes 
between  him  and  Lord  Egremont,  which  had  caused  great  trouble 
and  vexation  to  the  Hang's  country  and  subjects,  commanding  him 
to  appear  before  the  Council,  and  in  the  meantime  to  keep  the 
peace        -  -  -  -  -  -p.  141 

11^  Jylyy  31  Hen.VL  1453.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Grey  of 

Kugemont,  commanding  him  to  appear  before  the  Council  -    p.  142 

90ih  Jvlyy  31  Hen.  VL  1453. — Letter  from  the  King  to  some  person 

whose  name  is  illegible,  commanding  him  either  to  send  to  the 

Treasurer,  by  the  bearer,  the  200  marks  which  he  had  promised  to 

[b2] 


XX        CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.   [SI  Hen. VI. 

lend  for  the  defence  of  Guienne,  or  to  appear  before  the  Council  in 
all  possible  haste        -  -  -  -  "    P-  ^^3 

^Ist  Jidi/,  31  Hen.  VL  1453. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Francis  Foscari 
Duke  of  Venice,  regretting  that  any  dispute  should  have  arisen 
between  the  Duke  and  the  Grand  Master  of  the  Order  of  Saint  John 
of  Jerusalem  at  Rhodes,  stating,  that  as  he  (the  King)  and  his  pro- 
genitors were  amongst  the  chief  founders  of  the  Order,  it  behoved 
him  to  provide  for  their  peace,  and  urging  the  Duke  to  dismiss  from 
his  mind  all  animosity        -  -  -        -        -     p.  144 — 146 

"252A  Julyy  31  Bien.  VL  1453.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Faucon- 
berg,  desiring  him  to  certify  the  Chancellor  of  aiv  agreement  which 
had  been  made  between  himself  and  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  whereby 
it  was  stipulated  that  the  former  should  take  two  thirds  of  the  cus- 
toms in  the  port  of  Newcastle,  until  he  had  received  1,000  marks, 
which  had  been  assigned  to  him  in  part  payment  of  j£l,000 
yearly  for  the  keeping  of  Roxburgh  Castle,  and  that  the  Earl 
should  have  the  other  third  part     -  -  -  *    P*  1^ 

"^Ith  Julyy  31  Hen.  VL  1453.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of 
Salisbury,  commanding  him  to  use  his  utmost  endeavours  to  piit  down 
such  "  great  assemblies  and  riotous  gatherings  of  people*'  as  had 
been  made  in  the  shire  wherein  he  dwelt  by  his  son  Sir  John 
Neville  and  others,  and  also  to  be  obedient  to  Sir  William  Lucy  and 
the  other  commissioners  who  were  sent  thither  by  the  King : — A 
similar  letter  was  addressed  to  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  relative 
to  his  son  Lord  Egremont         -  -  •  -  p.  147 

'Ibid, — Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremont  and  Sir  John  Neville, 
son  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  commanding  them  to  keep  the  peace, 
and  to  obey  Sir  William  Lucy  and  the  other  commissioners  who 
were  appointed  for  that  purpose  -  -  -  p.  148 

Jbid, — A  similar  letter  (mutatis  mutandis)  to  Sir  John  Conyers,  Sir  James 
Pickering,  and  others  -  -  -  -  -    p.  140 

Jbid, — Another  letter  on  the  same  sul)ject,  but  to  whom  directed  does 
not  appear  -  -  -  -  -  -    P-  150 

'&h  August^  31  Hen.  VL  1453. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  mayors 
and  customers  of  Dartmouth,  Plymouth,  and  Fowey,  requesting  them 
to  urge  the  owners  and  masters  of  ships  to  be  ready  with  their  ves- 
sels by  the  feast  of  St.  Bartholomew  at  the  latest  to  convey  the 
army  which  was  about  to  be  sent  into  Guicnne : — Similar  letters  were 
addressed  to  the  mayors  and  customers  of  Lynne  and  Orwell,  who 
were  also  to  charge  the  owners  and  masters  of  vessels  bound  from 
thosp  ports  to  Bourdeaux  to  assemble  at  Sandwich  or  Southampton 
by  the  said  feast       -  -  -  -  -  ~    P*  151 

Ith  August,  31  Hen.  VL  1453. — ^Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayor  of 
London,  directing  him  to  convene  the  merchants  and  citizens,  to 
whom  a  quantity  of  alum,  to  the  amount  of  ^8,000,  which  had  been 
purchased  from  divers  merchants  of  Jena,  had  been  sold  by  the 


J453-4.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xxi 

King,  with  licence  to  resell  the  same  with  an  increase  of  2f.  on  the 
pound,  and  to  induce  them  to  lend  the  said  increase  to  the  King,  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  an  army  for  the  defence  of  Guiennci  they 
receiving  assignments  for  the  same  upon  the  fifteenth,  payable  at 
Midsummer  following  -  -  -  *    P*  1^^ — 1«^ 

1(M  Auguaiy  31  Hau  VL  1453.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  Ralph 
Percy,  Richard  Percy,  Sir  John  Penyngton,  and  others,  commanding 
them  to  keep  the  peace  and  to  obey  Sir  William  Lucy  and  the  other 
commissioners  appointed  for  that  purpose  -  '    P*  ^^^ 

nth  Attgusiy  31  Hen.  VL  1453.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayors 
and  Sheri£&  of  Bristol  and  Hull,  stating  that  the  army  which  had 
been  raised  for  the  defence  of  Guienne  would  shortly  be  in  readi- 
ness ;  that  the  King's  adversaries  were  endeavouring  to  assemble  a 
great  navy  in  the  river  Gironde  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  said 
army,  and  directing  them  to  make  proclamation  commanding  the 
masters  and  mariners  and  others  who  were  disposed  to  proceed  to 
said  duchy  to  assemble  at  Falmouth  with  their  ships  on  the  27th 
of  the  present  month,  for  the  purpose  of  being  protected  by  the 
army  on  their  voyage  -  -  -  -  *    P«  1^^ 

14<&  Avgtut^  31  Hen.  VL  1453. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayor 
of  Southampton  and  others,  authorizing  them  to  weigh  and  i«ell,  for 
the  equipment  of  the  army  to  Guienne,  all  such  pieces  of  tin  as  had 
been  seized  in  the  said  town  by  the  King's  command  -    p.  156t 


32  Hen.  VI.  1453-4. 

8<ft  Odober,  apparenUy  in  S2nd  Hen.  VL.  1453.— Letter  from  the  King- 
to  the  Earl  of  Westmoreland  and  the  Bishop  of  Durham,  thanking 
them  for  their  diligence  in  repressing  such  unlawful  gatherings  as 
had  been  made  in  the  country  wherein  they  dwelt,  and  praying  for  a 
continuance  of  their  exertions  -  -  -  -    p.  15$ 

Lhid.—A  similar  letter  to  the  Archbishop  of  York         -  -    p.  159 

J^.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earls  of  Salisbury  and  Northum- 
berland, reminding  them  that  as  Commissioners  of  the  Peace  in  the 
country  wherein  they  dwelt,  and  as  Lords  of  the  Council,  it  behoved 
them  to  keep  the  peace  and  the  King's  laws,  notwithstanding  which, 
and  in  defiance  of  the  King's  letters  of  privy  seal,  they  had  taken  upon 
them  ^  to  make  the  greatest  assembly  of  our  liegemen,  and  thereto 
have  appointed  time  and  place,  that  ever  was  made  in  this  our 
land  at  any  time  that  man  can  think;'*  threatening  that  in  case  any 
thing  should  be  done  by  them  or  by  others  whereby  any  of  the 
King's  Jieges  should  perish,  they  should  be  <*  so  chastised  that  both  ye 
and  they  and  all  others  our  subjects  shall  have  matter  and  cause  to 
eschew  to  attempt  any  Xhing  like  hereafter  *'     -  159— 161 

[bS] 


xxii  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.       [32Hbn.VL 

Sth  October,  apparently  in  S2nd  Hen,  VL  1453.— Letter  from  the  King  to 
Lord  Egremont,  reminding  him  that  he  had  not  long  ago  been  raised 
to  the  rank  of  a  baron,  not  for  any  great  service  that  he  had  done, 
but  for  the  ''  trust  and  trowing  "  which  the  King  had  of  the  good 
service  which  he  should  do  in  time  to  come,  especially  in  keeping  the 
peace ;  notwithstanding  which,  and  in  defiance  of  the  King's  letters 
of  the  27th  of  July,  commanding  him  to  put  down  such  assemblies  and 
gatherings  of  people  as  he  had  made  and  arrayed  against  the  peace,  he 
had  not  only  failed  so  to  do,  but  had  multiplied  gatherings  of  people 
ready  to  go  to  the  field  as  it  were  in  time  of  war,  and  strictly  charging 
him  to  discharge  such  people  as  he  had  assembled,  to  **  surcease  of 
such  novelries*'  as  he  had  begun,  and  to  keep  the  peace  p.  161 — 163 

24IA  October,  32  Hen.  VL  1453r~Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of 
York,  desiring  him  to  give  credence  to  such  things  as  should  be 
declared  to  him  on  the  King's  behalf  by  Sir  Thomas  Tyrell,  and 
transmitting  to  him  letters  of  summons  to  a  Qreat  Council.  An- 
nexed is  a  copy  of  the  instructions  given  to  Tyrell,  who  was  to 
declare  to  the  Duke,  that  one  of  the  causes  which  had  induced  the 
King  to  assemble  a  Great  Council  was  "  to  set  rest  and  union 
betwixt  the  lords  of  this  lande,"  and  that,  as  it  was  supposed  that  a 
variance  existed  between  him  and  some  others  of  the  lords,  the 
King  desired  his  attendance         -  -  -  *    P-  163 

6A  December,  32  Hen,  VL  1453. — Minutes  of  the  Council,  It  was  agreed 
that  500  sacks  of  the  King's  wool  shpuld  be  shipped  and  conveyed 
to  such  parts  ''  of  the  Kings  amite"  as  should  seem  most  expedient, 
for  the  purpose  of  being  sold  to  raise  money  for  the  expenses  of  the 
King's  household  -  *  -  -  -p.  164 

13/A  March^  32  Hen,  VL,  1454 — .Letter  from  the  King  to  Francis  Foscari 
Duke  of  Venice,  requesting  permission  for  certain  knights  of  the  Order 
of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  who  were  about  to  proceed  from  England 
to  reinforce  the  Grand  Master  of  Rhodes  against  the  Turks,  who  had 
seized  Constantinople,  to  pass  through  the  Duke's  territories    p.  165 

15^  Marcky  32  Hen.  VL  1454. — Minute  of  the  CouneiL  It  was  agreed 
in  the  Council  Chamber  at  Westminster,  during  the  sitting  of  Parlia- 
ment, that  a  commission  should  be  issued  to  John  Arundell,  John 
Faceby,  and  William  Hatclyff,  physicians,  and  to  Robert  Wareyn 
and  John  Marchall,  surgeons,  empowering  them  to  administer  to  the 
King  such  meditines  and  medicinal  remedies,  in  such  manner  as 
could  be  best  devised,  and  according  to  the  directions  of  the  most 
learned  physicians  who  had  written  or  should  afterwards  write  on 
the  subject  -----  •    P*  166 

30^  March  and  ist  April,  32  Hen,  VL,  1454.— i&icL  It  was  agreed  that 
the  Bishop  of  Ely  should  be  recommended  to  the  Pope  for  pro- 
motion to  the  archbishoprick  of  Canterbury,  vacant  by  the  death 
of  John  Kemp,  the  late  archbishop;  that  Master  William  Gray 
should  be  recommended  to  the  see  of  Ely ;.  and  that  Master  George 


1454.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xxiii 

Neville^  son  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  chancellor  of  England,  in  con- 
sideration of  his  blood,  yirtuci  and  cunning,  should  also  be  recom- 
mended for  promotion  to  the  next  vacant  bishoprick        -        p.  168 

Isi  Aprils  S2  Ben.  VL  1454. — ^Writ  of  privy  seal,  countersigned  by  the 
Council,  commanding  the  Chancellor  to  issue  letters  patent  granting 
to  Master  Thomas  Mannyng,  one  of  the  King's  chaplains,  the  deanery 
of  the  chapel  of  St.  George,  within  the  castle  of  Windsor  p.  169 

M  Aprily  32  Hm.  VI.  1^4^— Minute  of  the  QmnciL  John  Goldewell 
and  Walter  Hertford,monks  of  Christ's  Church,  Canterbury,  presented 
to  the  Council  a  petition  from  the  prior  and  chapter  of  that  house, 
praying  for  licence  to  elect  an  archbishop  in  the  room  of  John 
Kemp,  lately  deceased : — which  was  granted  -  -    p.  1 7 

imjpril^  32  Hen.VL  1454.— Petition  to  the  King  from  Thomas  Colt 
one  of  the  chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer,  praying  for  his  livery 
of  clothing  and  fur  for  the  feast  of  Christmas  last  past,  and  livery 
as  well  for  summer  as  winter,  so  long  as  he  should  occupy  the  said 
office  : — which  was  granted  -  -  -  -p.  171 

I5tk  Aprily  32  Hen.  VL  1454. — MintOe  of  the  QmnciL  A  dispute  relative 
to  the  lieutenancy  of  Ireland  having  been  decided,  "  so  that  it  was 
no  longer  to  be  doubted  who  ought  to  be  lieutenant  there,"  it 
was  agreed  that  an  Order  of  Council  which  had  been  made  on  the 
6th  of  February  preceding,  forbidding  the  collectors  of  the  fifteenth 
and  tenth,  and  of  the  half  fifteenth  and  tenth,  granted  in  the  Par- 
liament at  Reading,  yet  enduring,  to  pay  any  sums  or  tallies  assigned 
for  Ireland  to  any  one  but  the  Treasurer  of  England,  should  be 
rescinded,  and  that  the  said  tallies  should  be  paid  according  to  their 
purport         ---  -  --  ---p.  172 

l&hAprily  32  Hen.  VL  1454.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  York 
and  several  other  peers,  summoning  them  to  attend  a  Council  at  West- 
minster on  the  6th  of  May  next  coming,  for  the  purpose  of  maki^ig 
provision  <<  as  well  for  the  restful  rule  of  this  our  realm  inward 
as  for  defence  thereof  outward,  and  specially  for  the  safegard  of 
our  town  of  Calais  and  the  marches  there  "  -  -    p.  174 

17^  ^^prily  32  Hen.  VI.  1454. — Copy  of  the  letters'sent  by  order  of  the 
Council  to  various  prelates,  ecclesiastics,  and  peers,  a  list  of  whom 
is  annexed,  urging  them  to  lend  money  or  to  raise  men  for  the  defence 
of  Calais p.  175—177 

IM  Jfoy,  S2Hen.  VI.  1454.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of  North- 
umberland, commanding  him  to  appear  before  the  Council  at  West- 
minster on  the  12th  of  the  following  month,  when  provision  was  to  be 
made  for  the  prevention  of  such  disturbances  as  had  previously 
occurred  on  account  of  the  differences  between  the  Earl  of  Salisbury 
and  Lord  Egremont,  the  Earl  of  Northumberland's  son  -  p.  178 
Ibid. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Roos,  commanding  him  to  appear 
before  the  Council  at  Westminster  on  the  16th  of  the  present  month 

p.  179 
[b4] 


xxiv  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE-      [S2Heh.VL 

10^  May,  32  Hen.  VL  1454*. — Letter,  intended  to  have  been  sent  from 
the  King  to  Lord  Poynings  and  Sir  Ralph  Percy,  commanding  them 
to  appear  before  the  Council  at  Westminster  on  the  2nd  of  the 
following  month,  but  which  was  not  forwarded     -  -        p.  179 

IbicL — Letters  from  the  King  to  the  Sheriffs  of  Derby  and  Lancashire, 
directing  them  to  deliver  letters  of  privy  seal  to  Sir  Nicholas  Lang- 
ford  and  Walter  Blount,  Thomas  Pilkington,  and  Piers  Legh, 
esquires,  commanding  them  to  appear  before  the  Council  imme- 
diately after  the  sight  thereof  -  -  -  -    p.  180 

nth  May,  S2  Hen.VI.  l4t54f.^LetteT  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of 
Exeter,  commanding  him  to  appear  before  the  Council  at  West- 
minster on  Thursday  next  ensuing  -  -  -    p.  180 

24A  May,  32  Hen.  VI.  1454.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Treasurer  and 
Barons  of  the  Exchequer,  notifying  to  them  the  several  fines  which 
had  been  imposed  by  the  Lords  of  the  Council  on  those  bishops,  earls, 
abbots,  and  others  (who  are  named),  who  on  account  of  sickness 
had  been  unable  to  attend  the  Parliament  which  began  at  Reading 
and  ended  at  Westminster,  it  having  been  therein  provided  that 
such  lords  as  did  not  attend  the  said  Parliament,  from  the  14th  of 
February  last  past  until  the  last  day  of  the  same  month,  should  pay 
unto  the  King  a  certain  sum  ;  but  that  those  who  were  prevented 
by  illness  should  pay  such  a  fine  as  should  be  thought  reasonable  to 
the  Lords  of  the  Council  -  -  -        -     p.  181— 183 

9,7th  May,  32  Hen.  VL  1454.— Petition  to  the  Council  from  John  Duke 
of  Norfolk,  complaining  of  the  conduct  of  Thomas  Sharnburn, 
sheriff  of  Suffolk,  relative  to  the  election  for  that  county,  which  was 
held  at  Ipswich  on  Monday  after  the  feast  of  St.  Valentine  (February 
18th),  he  having  made  a  return  to  the  effect  that  he  dared  not  hold 
the  county  court  on  account  of  the  menaces  of  the  servants  and 
tenants  of  the  said  Duke,  such  not  being  the  fact ;  and  praying 
that  the  Justices  of  the  Common  Pleas  might  be  directed  to  permit 
the  said  servants  and  tenants  to  appear  and  answer  by  attorney  : — 
which  was  granted  -  -  -  -  -p. 183 

29<A  May,  apparently  in  the  S2nd  Hen.  VI.  1454. — Letter  from  the  King 
to  the  lords. spiritual  and  temporal,  summoning  them  to  attend  a 
Great  Council  to  be  held  at  Westminster  on  the  25th  of  the  follow- 
ing month,  for  the  purpose  of  devising  measures  for  the  defence  of 
the  realm,  and  of  resisting  the  King's  enemies,  who  had  set  forth  a 
great  army  upon  the  sea,  and  '*  daily  busy  them  to  pull  from  us 
our  towne  of  Calais  "  .  -  •  -     p.  184 — 187 

Ibid.'-^Tit  to  the  Treasurer  and  Barons  of  the  Exchequer,  command- 
ing  them  not  to  exact  from  Lord  Say  a  fine  of  £¥),  which  had  been 
erroneously  imposed  upon  him  for  non-attendance  in  the  Parliament 
which  began  at  Westminster  and  ended  at  Reading,  he  having  been 
present  therein  -  -  -  -  -         -     p.  187 

31*<  May,  32  Hen.  VL  1454.— Jftniifc  of  the  CaunciL    It  was  agreed. 


1454.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xxr 

that  notwithstanding  that  the  Chancellor  of  that  portion  of  the 
duchy  of  Lancaster  which  was  put  in  feoffment  had  been  previously 
commanded  to  receive  no  letter  of  warrant  for  any  thing  to  be  sped 
by  him,  unless  under  the  signet  of  the  Eagle,  the  privy  seal  should 
from  henceforth  be  a  sufficient  warrant  to  him  •         -    p.  188 

Auigned  to  the  Srd  Juney  32  Hen.  VL  1454.— Letter  from  the  King  to 
the  Duke  of  Exeter,  expressing  great  displeasure  at  his  conduct, 
some  particulars  of  which  are  enumerated,  commanding  him  to 
refrain  from  the  commission  of  any  thing  which  might  lead  to  a 
breach  of  the  peace  or  of  the  laws,  and  to  appear  before  the 
Council  at  Westminster  on  the  25th  of  the  month  -    p.  189 

Ibid, — ^Letters  of  similar  import  were  also  addressed  to  Lord  Egremont, 
Richard  Percy,  Sir  Nicholas  Longford,  and  Thomas  Pilkington  and 
Walter  Blount,  esquires  -  -  -  -    P*  190 — 192 

5A  Juney  apparently  in  the  $2nd  Hen,  VL  1454. — Letter  from  the  King 
to  the  Abbot  of  Hulme,  imforming  him  that  Lord  Egremont  and 
others  of  like  disposition  made  great  assemblies  of  the  King's  liege 
people,  and  issued  proclamations  to  stir  them  to  rebellion  and 
breaking  of  the  laws,  and  forbidding  the  abbot,  his  servants  or 
tenants,  to  favor,  assist,  comfort,  or  help  him,  *<  nor  none  of  his  or 
of  his  opinion  whatever  they  be'*  -  -  -    p.  19S 

IbkL — A  similar  letter  to  Lord  Clifford,  who  was  moreover  com- 
manded to  render  all  the  assistance  in  his  power  to  the  Duke  of 
York,  who  by  the  advice  of  the  Council  had  been  sent  to  suppress 
the  aforesaid  tumults  -  -  -  -    p.  194 

/SidL— Letter  from  the  King  to  Walter  Durdant  of  Buckinghamshire, 
commanding  him,  under  a  penalty  of  £200,  to  appear  before  the 
Council  at  Westminster  on  the  morrow  of  the  feast  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist  next  ensuing  -  -  -  -  -    p.  195 

S2Ben.  VL  1454. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  mayors,  aldermen, 
and  inhabitants  of  York  and  HuHi  thanking  them  for  their  good 
zeal  and  love,  and  for  tlieir  <<  wyse,  discrete,  sadde,  and  manly 
beryng  oute  of  their  trouthe  in  withstandyng  and  puttyng  aside 
the  wylfulnesse"  of  the  Duke  of  Exeter,  Lord  Egremont,  and 
Richard  Percy,  and  also  for  the  reception  which  they  had  given  to 
the  Duke  of  York  -  -  -  -     p.  195 197 

SihJulyy  S2  Hen,  F/.  1454.— Petition  to  the  King  and  Council  from 
Piers  de  Merlanes  and  his  fellowship  of  Gascony,  stating  that  by 
reason  of  the  loss  of  the  city  of  Bourdeaux  and  of  the  countrj'^  there- 
abouts they  had  come  into  England  to  proffer  their  service  for  the 
recovery  thereof,  and  to  beseech  that  some  consideration  might  be  had 
to  the  services  which  they  rendered  before  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury 
entered  that  city : — it  was  agreed  that  they  should  have  J£lO   p.  197. 

lOiA  July,  32  Him.  VL  1454.— Petition  to  the  King  from  Ralph  Lord 
Cromwell  praying  that  Robert  Colynson,  a  priest,  who  had  falsely 
slandered  him,  might  be  detained  in  prison  until  he  had  made  satis- 


xxvi  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.      [32  Hen.VL 

faction  to  the  petitioner  for  the  damages  which  he  had  thereby  suf- 
fered, and  until  he  had  made  fine  and  ransom  to  the  King  for  the 
said  offence:— which  was  granted  •  .»  -  -    p.  198 

ntkJufyy  S2  Hen.VL  1454. — Copy  of  the  indenture,  signed  by  the 
Council,  between  the  King  and  the  Duke  of  York,  as  Captain  of 
Calais  and  of  the  Tower  of  Risbank,  for  seven  years  -    p.  199 — 206 

18lA  Jtdt/,  32  Hen.  VL  1454.— ilfmt<fe  of  the  CouneU.  Upon  the  ques- 
tion, whether  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  who  had  been  committed  to 
prison  on  suspicion  of  treason,  should  be  released  on  bail  or  not, 
the  Duke  of  York  proposed  that  the  opinion  of  the  judges  should  be 
had,  without  which  he  would  never  consent  to  his  release ;  and  he 
desired  that  this  declaration  might  be  entered  on  record,  which  was 
accordingly  done     -  -  -  -  -  -    p.  206 

JfUJ.— Writ  to  the  Chancellor,  commanding  him  to  make  letters  of 
exemplification  of  the  preceding  declaration  -         -  *    P-  ^^ 

9Mi  JuJy,  32  Hen.  VL  1454 Petition  to  the  King  from  William  Ne- 
ville Lord  Fauconberg,  praying  for  licence  to  surrender  Edmund 
Arblaster,  a  prisoner,  for  whom  he  had  become  surety  to  one 
Blauncheford ;  the  said  Edmund  not  having  paid  his  ransom : — which 
was  granted              -            -  -  -  -  *    P*  208 

23rcf  July,  32  Hen.  VL  U5^.— Proceeding  of  the  Council.  It  was  agreed 
that  the  Duke  of  York,  Protector  of  England,  should  have  authority 
to  grant  the  King's  livery  of  colours  to  eighty  gentlemen,  after  his 
discretion ;  <<  they  to  be  a  feed  with  no  man  but  the  King  without 
his  special  licence;*'  the  steward,  treasurer,  comptroller,  cofferer, 
chief  clerk,  and  the  avener  to  be  directed  to  put  in  execution  *'  the 
appointments  made  and  ordained  for  the  King's  stable,  as  well  in 
disposing  of  the  horses  as  persons  attending  upon  the  said  stable  :*'—» 
annexed  is  a  copy  of  *'  the  appointement  made  by  the  King  by  the 
advice  of  his  Council  for  the  office  of  the  avery,  and  for  his  stable" 

p.  209—214 

24/A  July,  32  Hen.  VL.  1454. — Letter  addressed  to  the  spiritual  and 
temporal  peers,  summoning  them  to  attend  a  Great  Council  at  West- 
minster on  the  21st  of  October  following         -  -    p.  214 — 216 

Llnd, — Letters  written  by  order  of  the  Council  to  the  Bishop  of 
St.  David's,  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  and  several  other  lords,  who 
disobeyed  the  summons  which  they  had  received  to  attend  a  Great 
Council  held  at  Westminster  on  the  25th  of  June  preceding,  **  giving 
full  strange  example  [to  others  of  disobedience,*'  and  peremptorily 
commanding  them  to  appear  at  the  Great  Council  to  be  held  there  on 
the  21st  of  October  -  -  •  -    p.  216 

Lbid.^'MinuU  of  the  CauneU.  The  Duke  of  York  to  be  directed  to 
convey  the  Duke  of  Exeter  to  Pomfret  Castle,  and  the  Chancellor  of 
the  duchy  of  Lancaster  to  issue  a  writ  to  the  constable  of  the  castle, 
commanding  him  to  receive  the  said  Duke  -  -  -    p.  217 

TWcf.— Writ  to  Sir  Brian  Stapleton,  Sir  John  Melton,  and  Sir  Thomas 


1454-5.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xxvii 

Rampstoiiy  commandiDg  them  to  proceed  to  Pomfret  Castle  to  awak 
upon  and  '*  entende  upon  the  saufgard"  of  the  Duke  of  Exeter  p.  218 
^4M  wr  9Sfih  Julyy  S2  Hen.  VL  1454.— Letter  from  the  King,  signed  by 
the  Council,  to  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  commanding  him  to  appear 
before  the  Council  on  the  28th  of  October,  to  prove  the  accusa- 
tions which  he  had  made  against  the  Duke  of  Somerset       -    p.  218 


33  Hen.  VI.  1454-5. 

\%tk  Naoember^  33  Hen.  VI.  1454. — Ordinances  for  the  regulation  of 
the  King's  household  -  -  -  -    p.  220—^233 

3ftf  Febnuayy  tqiparenify  in  the  33ftf  Hen.  VL  1455.^<-Letter  from  the 
King  to  the  Duke  of  Exeter,  commanding  him,  on  account  of  cer- 
tain riots  and  offences  by  him  committed,  to  proceed  to  Wallingford 
Castle,  so  as  to  be  there  by  the  Tuesday  following  at  the  latest  p.  234 

I44h  May^  S3  Hen.  VL  1455.— Letters  of  credence  for,  and  instruc- 
tions issued  to,  the  commissioners  who  were  appointed  to  raise  money 
for  the  defence  of  Calais :  —  annexed  is  a  list  of  the  commissioners 
for  the  different  connties         -  -  -  -    p.  234—244 

Apparently  in  Junef  33  Hen.  VL  1455. — Letter  from  the  King  to 
Tarious  Peers,  informing  them  of  his  intention  to  hold  a  Parliament 
on  the  9th  of  the  ensuing  month,  and  commanding  them  to  attend 
the  same,  '^  mesurably  accompaignied  accordyng  to  their  estate,  with 
their  houshold  mayney  and  noon  otherwise*'  -  -    p.  244 

26£ft  June^  33  Hen.  VL  1455.— ilfmiife  of  the  Council^  stating  that  the 
Earl  of  Worcester  had  been  directed  to  proceed  to  Wallingford 
Castle  to  take  charge  of  the  Duke  of  Exeter,  who  was  confined 
there ;  which  he  had  not  done,  because  t}ie  Duchess  of  Suffolk  was 
Constable  of  the  Castle  ;  that  he  had  therefore  been  discharged 
from  the  performance  of  that  duty,  and  had  been  commanded  to 
appear  before  the  King ;  that  information  thereof  had  been  given 
to  the  Duchess,  who  was  at  the  same  time  enjoined  to  keep  the  Duke 
of  Exeter  in  sure  custody       -  -  -  -  -  p.  245 

dih  July,  33  Hen,  VL  1455.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Sheriff  of 
Kent,  stating  that  he  had  been  informed  that  **  busy  labour"  was 
made  by  certain  persons  in  that  county  for  the  choosing  of  Knights 
for  the  Parliament  to  be  holden  on  the  9th  of  the  present  month, 
and  commanding  him  to  make  proclamation  at  the  time  of  the  elec- 
tion that  it  was  the  King's  will  that  the  ^  shire  have  their  free  elec- 
tion according  to  his  laws  and  ordinances''  -  -  -  p.  246 
9ih  Jtdy,  33  Hen,  VL  1455. — ^Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Bishop  of 
Durham,  the  Earl  of  Westmoreland,  and  the  Lords  Fitz  Hugh  and 
Scrope,  expressing  the  <^  great  comfort"  which  he  had  derived  from 
the  letters  sent  by  them  from  Newcastle,  declaring  the  "  manly 


xxvHi  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.       [33  Hen.VI. 

•  resisting'*  which  had  been  made  to  the  King's  enemies  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Berwick ;  thanking  them  for  their  exertions,  and  excusing 
the  Earl  of  Northumberland  from  attending  the  Parliament  -  p.  247 

9ek  Jufyy  33  Hen.  VL  14'55.— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of 
Northumberland,  thanking  him  for  his  '*  devoir,  diligence,  labour, 
and  pain,  as  well  in  victualling  the  town  and  castle  of  Berwick,  as 
in  resisting  the  malice  of  the  King's  enemies,"  and  excusing  his 
attendance  in  Parliament      -  -  -  -  *    P*  ^^ 

Ibid. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John  Heron  of  Ford,  and  to  Robert 
Manners,  esquire,  returning  thanks  to  them  for  their  '<  faith,  truth, 
diligence,  and  manhood,  in  resistence  of  his  enemies,  and  safeguard 
of  the  town  and  castle  of  Berwick**  -  -  .  '    P*  ^^^ 

I2th  July,  33  Ben.  VI.  1455 — Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John 
Gresley  and  Roger  Vernon,  who  had  riotously  assembled  the  King's 
subjects  against  his  peace,  commanding  them  to  appear  before  the 
Council  at  Westminster  on  the  21st  of  the  present  month     -    p.  250 

Ibid. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Nicholas  Gresley,  alluding  to  the  riotous 
assemblies  which  had  been  made  by  his  kinsmen  and  others,  and 
commanding  him  to  appear  before  the  Council  -  -    p.  25l 

2Srd  July,  33  Hen.  VI.  1455.— Letter  from  the  King  to  William  Say, 
bailiff  of  Sandwich,  and  others,  commanding  them  to  deliver  to  the 
Earl  of  Salisbury,  as  a  gift  from  the  King,  *<  a  bicoket "  garnished 
and  gilt,  two  "  saletts  *'  garnished  and  not  gilt,  two  pair  of  **  brigan- 
ders  *'  covered  with  velvet  set  with  gilt  nails,  a  gown  of  velvet,  and 
all  other  harness,  being  in  their  custody,  which  had  been  forfeited 
by  the  rebellion  of  Lord  Camoys         •  -  -  -    p.  251 

4/A  Augusty  33  Hen.  VI.  1455. — Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Barons  of  the 
Exchequer,  commanding  them  to  make  allowance  to  William  Say,  in 
his  account,  of  the  articles  above  mentioned  -  ~    P*  ^52 

25/A  July,  33  Hen.  VI.  1455. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duchess  of 
Burgundy,  complaining  that,  in  contravention  of  the  treaties  existing 
between  the  two  countries,  a  knight  named  Pierre  de  Prennes  had 
seized  at  Burburgh  one  Thomas  Wymark,  the  agent  of  the  mayor  of 
the  staple  at  Calais,  and  had  imprisoned  him  until  he  surrendered 
such  goods,  gold,  silver,  letters,  bonds,  and  other  things  as  he  had  with 
him ;  and  demanding  restitution  thereof  -         -  *    P«  ^^ 

^nd  August^  33  Hen.  VI.  1455.— Petition  to  the  King  from  John  Ship- 
ward,  praying  for  permission  to  export  to  Gascony  or  Spain,  in  a 
vessel  of  300  tons  burthen,  goods  and  merchandize  not  pertaining  to 
the  staple  of  Calais,  and  to  import  others  in  lieu  of  them : — which 
was  granted  -  -  -  -  .  "    P-  254 

6ih  August,  33  Hen.  VL  1455.— Petition  to  the  King  from  the  clerks  of 
his  chapel,  stating  that  their  number  was  less  than  was  wont ;  praying 
that  there  might  be  at  least  twenty-four  <<  singing  men  ;'*  that 
William  Stevenys  might  continue  to  say  daily  mass  of  our  Lady,  to 
read  the  gospel,  and  keep  the  vestiary ;  and  that  a  person  might  be 
appointed  to  read  the  epistle : — which  was  granted  -  *    P*  ^6 


1455^.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  xxix 

BA  Atiffusi,  33  Hen.  VI.  1455.— Letter  from  the  Eang  to  Alphonso  King 
of  Portugal,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  his  letters,  which  requested 
that  attempts  against  the  treaties  might  be  reformed,  the  breakers 
thereof  punished,  and  measures  adopted  for  the  prevention  thereof 
in  future ;  stating  that  persons  had  been  appointed  to  confer  thereon 
with  the  Portuguese  Ambassadors ;  that  commissions  and  proclama- 
tions for  that  purpose  had  been  issued,  and  that  nothing  which  lay 
in  the  King's  power  to  preserve  peace  should  be  neglected  -     p.  257 

M  Avgusty  33  Hen.  VL  1455.— Petition  to  the  King  from  Sir  Thomas 
Lomley,  constable  of  Scarborough  Castle,  praying  for  permission  to 
surrender  the  letters  patent  by  which  he  held  that  office  "  in  like 
manner  and  form  as  Ralph  Babthorp  had  it,"  and  that  others  might 
be  issued,  granting  to  him  the  custody  of  the  castle  with  all  profits 
thereto  belonging  to  the  value  of  j£20  yearly,  a  robe  yearly  at  the 
great  wardrobe,  25  marks  yearly  out  of  the  farm  of  the  town  of 
Scarborough,  and  25  marks  out  of  the  issues  of  the  county  of  York  ; 
on  condition  that  he  should  annually  expend  40  marks  thereof  in 
repairing  the  castle : — which  was  granted        -  -  ~     P*  ^d 


34  Hen.  VI.  1455-6. 

IQth  November i  34  Hen.  VL  1455.— ilfutu/ie  of  the  Council^  stating,  that 
whereas  the  King  could  not  in  person  be  present  at  the  Parliament 
to  be  holden  at  Westminster  on  the  1 2th  of  the  present  month,  he 
had  issued  a  commission  empowering  Richard  Duke  of  York  to  hold 
the  said  Parliament,  and  to  do  therein  in  the  King's  name  all  such 
things  as  were  to  be  done  for  the  good  rule  and  government  of  the 
realm,  and  also  by  assent  of  Council  to  end  and  dissolve  the  said 
Parliament  -  -  -  -  -  -    p.  2(>1 

19ih  November,  34  Hen.  VL  1455. — Petition  to  the  King  and  Council 
from  Sir  John  Tempest,  knight,  who  had  been  appointed  Sheriff  of 
Lincolnshire,  praying  that  he  might  hold  his  office  by  **  approwment," 
and  not  be  charged  in  his  account  <*  with  the  hoole  extente  of  the 
said  shire :" — ^which  was  granted  -  -  ~     P*  ^63 

4e4  Decembery  34  Hen,  VL  1455. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Fope» 
stating,  that  although  his  Majesty  had  recommended  and  his  Holiness 
had  promoted  Master  John  Hals  to  the  vacant  see  of  Exeter,  there 
were  many  reasons  why  that  appointment  should  be  cancelled,  espe- 
cially as  at  the  instance  of  the  princes,  peers,  nobles,  and  all  the 
commonalty  of  the  realm  he  had  promised  to  confer  the  next  vacant 
see  on  George  Nevill,  son  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  which  promise 
he  had,  at  the  time   of  Hals's  appointment,  forgotten;  that  the 


XXX        CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.   [34- Hen.  VI. 

canons  of  Exeter  had  unanimously  elected  Nevill  as  their  pastor,  and 
Hals  had  surrendered  his  claim :  he  therefore  prays  the  Pope  to 
confirm  the  election  -  -  -  *    P*  ^^ — ^7 

5th  December^  S45  Hen.  VL  1455. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earls 
of  Arundel  and  Wiltshire,  the  Lords  Fttzwarine  and  St.  Amand,  and 
other  lords,  knights,  and  esquires,  informing  them  that  he  had  sent 
the  Duke  of  York  into  Devonshire  for  the  purpose  of  quelling  the 
disturbances  in  that  county,  and  commanding  them  to  render  him  all 
the  aid  in  their  power         -  -  -  "    P-  267—270 

9th  December,  34*  Hen.  VL  1455.— Letter  from  the  King  to  Hugh 
Louth  er,  esquire,  informing  him  that  he  having  been  appointed 
sheriff  of  Cumberland,  a  dedimus  potestatem  had  been  issued  to  Sir 
Thomas  Nevill  to  receive  his  oath,  and  charging  him  under  a  penalty 
of  4^2,000  to  undertake  the  office  -  -  -    p.  271 

10th  December,  34  Hen.  VL  1455. — Petition  to  the  King  and  Council  from 
John  Stanhope,  esquire,  late  sheriff  of  the  counties  of  Nottingham  and 
Derby,  praying  that  an  allowance  of  j^lOO  might  be  made  to  him  in 
his  account,  in  consideration  of  the  expenses  which  he  had  incurred 
in  assembling  people  to  support  the  Justices  of  Oyer  and  Terminer 
at  the  sessions  at  Chesterfield  and  Derby ;  in  '*  coming  with  much 
people  to  hold  the  shires  to  resist  such  people  as  was  not  well  dis- 
posed ;  in  riding  with  much  people  in  executing  of  his  office,  because 
the  people  is  wild ;"  and  in  raising  and  conducting  to  Doncaster  300 
persons  for  the  rescue  of  Berwick : — ^80  were  allowed  to  him 

p.  272 

11^  December,  34  Hen,  VL  1455. — A  commission  signed  by  the  Council 
empowering  the  Duke  of  York  to  prorogue  the  Parliament  from  the 
13th  of  December  to  the  14th  of  January,  and  on  that  day  and  after- 
wards to  hold  the  same,  and  to  do  therein,  in  the  King's  name,  all 
things  which  were  to  be  done  for  the  good  rule  and  government  of 
the  realm,  and  to  end  and  dissolve  it  -  -  -    p.  274 

ISth  December,  34  Hen,  VL.  1455. — ^Letter  from  the  King  to  the  garrison 
of  Calais,  relative  to  their  payment  -  -         -    p.  276 — 279 

15^  December,  34  Hen.  VL.  1455. — Letter  from  the  King  to  various  lords 
spiritual  and  temporal  who  had  neglected  to  attend  the  present 
Parliament,  whereto  they  had  been  summoned,  charginjg  them  to 
appear  at  Westminster  on  the  14th  of  January  next    -    p.  279 — 282 

16^  December,  34  Hen.  VL.  1455. — Petition  to  the  King  and  Council 
from  Alianora  Duchess  of  Somerset,  praying  for  a  grant  of  j£200 
yearly  for  the  maintenance  of  Henry,  son  and  heir  of  Edmund  the 
late  Duke,  and  also  for  an  assignment  of  dower  out  of  his  lands : — 
which  was  granted  -  '  -  -    p.  282 — 285 

24/A  January,  34  Hen.VL.  1456. — Grant,  signed  by  the  Council,  to 
Master  George  Nevill,  of  the  custody  of  the  Hospital  of  St.  Leonard 
in  the  City  of  York,  which  had  recently  been  surrendered  by  William 
Scrope,  clerk  -  -  -  -  -     p.  285 


1456-8.]     CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.        xxxi 

Stt^/osttfOfy,  34  Hen.  VL  1456.— Letter  signed  by  Lord  Stanley,  the 
chamberlain,  stating  that  the  King  having  received  the  fealty  of 
William,  son  and  heir  of  Sir  John  Stapleton,  had  restored  to  him  his 
limds,  and  requesting  some  person,  whose  name  does  not  appear,  to 
present  him  to  the  King  for  the  purpose  of  doing  his  homage  -  p.  286 

%lh  Juncj  34  Hen.  VL  1456.— Letter  from  the  King  to  several  knights 
and  esquires  in  Kent,  informing  them  that  he  had  issued  a  commission 
of  oyer  and  terminer  to  certain  lords,  judges,  and  others,  to  hold  a 
gessioQ  at  Maidstone  for  the  punishment  of  disturbers  of  the  peace, 
and  desiring  them  to  give  all  favour  and  assistance  to  the  said  Com- 
missioners -  -  -  -  -  -    p.  287 


35  Hen.  VL  1456-7- 

Between  the  9^th  September  and  \st  October,  35  Hen.  VL  1456. — Letter 
from  Lord  Stanley,  the  Chamberlain,  to  the  Chancellor,  informing 
him  that  the  Abbot  of  Grimsby  had  done  his  fealty  and  homage,  and 
that  it  was  the  Kang  s  will  that  his  temporalities  shoul(^  be  restored 

p.  290 


36  Hen.  VI.  1457-8. 

2dih  Navembery  36  Hen.  VL.  1457 — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  lords 
spiritual  and  temporal,  informing  them  that  on  account  of  matters  of 
great  weight  he  had  resolved  to  continue  his  Great  Council  on  the 
27th  of  January  next  coming,  and  commanding  them  to  give  their 
attendance  on  that  day  -  -  *    P*  ^^0 — 293 

IM  February,  36  Hen.  VL.  1458^— Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of 
Arundel,  commanding  him  to  attend  the  Great  Council  at  West- 
minster in  all  haste  -  -   .  •  ~    P*  ^^^ 

4M  Marchy  36  Hen.  VL.  HSS.-^Minute  (fthe  Council  It  was  agreed  that 
5002.  should  be  paid  to  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  for  the  keeping  of  the 
sea,  out  of  the  money  arising  from  the  general  pardon  last  granted : 
— annexed  is  a  warrant  to  the  keeper  Qf  the  hanaper  in  Chancery  for 
the  payment  thereof        -  -  -  -  -    p.  294 

6ihAuffugi,  36  Hen.  VL.  1458. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Chancellor, 
commanding  him  to  issue  letters  patent  to  exonerate  Thomas  Havill 
of  Oxford,  brewer,  from  serving  on  assizes,  juries,  inquisitions,  &c., 
and  from  filling  the  offices  of  sheriff,  escheator,  coroner,  or  collector 
of  fifteenths,  taxes,  or  subsidies        •*  -  -  -    p.  295 


xxxii  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.  [36-38  Hen.VL 

26th  August^  36  Hen.  VL  1458. — Letter  from  the  King  to  several  lords 
spiritual  and  temporal,  charging  them  to  attend  at  the  palace  of 
Westminster  on  the  10th  of  October  next,  to  give  their  advice  in 
such  matters  as  should  be  treated  of  in  the  Council  there    -    p.  297 


37  Hen.  VI.  1458^9. 

5th  February,  37  ffen.  VL  1469. — Petition  to  the  Eang  from  Ralph  Lord 
Sudeley  and  John  Lord  Stourton,  praying  for  payment  of  the  wage» 
due  to  them  for  keeping  the  town  and  marches  of  Calais      -    p.  297 

20th  February,  apparently  in  the  S7th  Hen.  VL  1459.— General  summons 
to  the  Lords  of  Parliament  to  attend  a  Great  Council  to  be  held  at 
Westminster  on  the  2nd  of  April  next  coming,  for  the  purpose  of 
appointing  an  embassy  to  a  solemn  council  limited  by  the  Pope  to 
begin  on  the  1st  of  June,  "for  the  defence  of  our  faith  against  the 
Turks  and  other  mescreante*'  ...  -     p.  298 

29^  June,  37  Hen.  VL  1459. — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Grand 
Master  of  Rhodes,  refusing  permission  for  the  Prior  of  the  Hospital 
of  Saint  John  of  Jerusalem  to  attend  a  chapter  of  the  order      p.  299 

IbicL — Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Chancellor  of  Rhodes,  requesting 
him  to  desire  the  Grand  Master  to  refrain  from  commanding  the 
attendance  of  the  Prior  of  the  Hospital  of  Saint  John  of  Jerusalem 

p.  300 

Lbid. — Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John  Langstrothere  and  other 
Englishmen  in  the  convent  at  Rhodes,  commanding  them  to  inform 
the  Grand  Master  and  others  of  the  King's  determination  not  to 
allow  the  Prior  of  the  Hospital  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem  to  attend 
the  general  chapter     -  -  -  -  "    P*  301 

25th  July,  37  Hen.  VL.  1 459.— Warrant  to  the  Treasurer  and  Cham- 
berlains of  the  Exchequer,  for  the  payment  of  the  English  ambas- 
sadors who  attended  the  diet  at  Mantua        -  -  "    P*  302 


38  Hen.  VI.  1459-60. 

Qth  August,  38  Hen.  VL  1460.— Writ  to  the  keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal, 
commanding  him  to  issue  letters  directing  the  constables  of  Beau- 
mauris,  Conway,  Flint,  Hawardin,  Holt,  and  Ruthin,  to  provide  for 
the  security  of  those  places : — to  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  assuring  him 
of  the  King*s  belief  in  the  loyalty  of  the  Duke  of  York,  and  com- 


1460-1.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE,  xxxin 

mandiDg  him  to  deliver  Denbigh  Castle  to  the  Duke's  deputy ;— and 
to  the  Lord  Powis  to  surrender  the  castle  of  Montgomery    -    p.  303 

11th  Avgusi,  38  Hen,  VI.  H60«~Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  William 
Herbert,  knight,  Walter  Devereux  and  Roger  Vaugban,  esquires, 
giving  them  power  to  prevent  all  unlawful  assemblies,  to  arrest  all 
such  persons  as  should  in  defiance  of  the  King's  command  attempt 
to  victual  or  fortify  castles,  places,  and  strengths  in  Wales,  and  to 
adopt  measures  for  the  safe  custody  of  the  said  castles  until  the 
King  should  give  further  directions        -  -  '        "  P-  ^^ 

22dAuffusiy  38  Hen,  VL  1460. — Proclamation  commanding  that  Sir  John 
Nevill  and  Isabel  his  wife  should  be  re-admitted  to  the  peaceable 
enjoyment  of  such  manors  and  lordships  as  they  possessed  previously 
to  the  last  parliament  held  at  Coventry,  any  act,  statute,  or  ordinance 
therein  passed  notwithstanding  •  -  -  -  p-  306- 


39  Hen.  VI.  1460-1. 

With  Nocembery  39  Hen.  VL  1460.— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  lOiL  ta 
Master  George  Holland,  who  was  going  abroad  on  the  King's  ser- 
vice -  ------p.  307 

28^  January y  39  Hen.  VL  1461. — Letters  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of 
Arundel,  Lords  Cobham,  Abergavenny,  Dacre,  Delawarr,  and  several 
knights,  sheriffs,  mayors,  bailiffs,  and  other  persons,  commanding 
them  to  raise  forces  and  therewith  to  join  the  King  in  all  haste,  '*  for 
the  resistance  of  those  misruled  and  outrageous  people  in  the  north 
parts  of  this  realm,"  who  are,  it  is  said,  '<  coming  towards  these  parta, 
to  the  destruction  thereof,  of  you,  and  subversion  of  all  our  land" 

p.  307— 31(> 


ACTS  OF  THE  PRIVY  COUNCIL  OF  KING  HENRY  THE 
SIXTH,  THE  EXACT  DATES  OF  THE  GREATER  PART 
OF  WHICH  ARE  NOT  ASCERTAINED. 

ISM  Jvhfy  2  Hen.  VL.  1424^— Letters  patent  stating  that  the  King  had, 
by  the  advice  of  his  Council,  ordained  that  10,000  marks  should  be 
annually  raised,  for  the  expenses  of  his  household,  from  the  following 
sources,  viz.  from  the  Chamberlains  of  South  and  North  Wales  1,000' 
marks ;  from  wardships,  marriages,  and  other  casualties,  1,000/. ;  from 
the  keeper  and  exchange  of  the  mint  within  the  Tower  of  London  and 
York,  500  marks ;  from  the  collectors  of  the  subsidy  of  3«.  on  the  ton 
and  12d.  in  the  pound  from  aliens  in  all  the  ports  of  England,  2,000 
marks ;  and  from  the  collectors  of  the  subsidies  on  wools,  5,000  marks^ 

VOL.  VI.  [  C  1 


xxxiv  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE. 

It  was  also  provided  that  nothing  should  be  paid  out  of  these  sources 
of  revenue  until  the  Treasurer  had  received  the  said  sum  of  lO^OOOi. 

p.  Sll 

ISiA  November^  16  Hen*  VI.  i^STt-^Memorandum  stating  that  on  this 
day  the  King  appointed  the  members  of  his  Council,  who  are  named, 
regulated  the  mode  of  transacting  business  in  Council,  and  fixed  the 
salaries  which  they  were  respectively  to  receive  -        -   p.  312 — S15 

^ih  Fihruary,  22  Men.  VL  1444.— Warrant  for  the  payment  of  40L  to 
John  Wenlok,  esquire,  who  was  going  on  an  embassy  to  France  p.  815 

Tenq>.  Hen.  FZ,  date  uncertain* — Minutes  of  the  Council^  containing 
advice  submitted  to  the  King  for  his  guidance  in  answering  petitions, 
making  grants,  issuing  letters  under  the  signet,  &c     -    p.  316— SdO 

13th  January^  23  Hen.  VI.  1445. — Letters  patent,  granting  licence  to 
Angelo  Tany  of  Florence  to  bring  into  England  for  sale  a  '*  balaice  ** 
of  320  carats,  weighing  two  ounces  and  a  quarter,  without  payment 
of  custom,  unless  it  were  sold        -  -  *  ~    P*  ^^I 

Apparent^  in  23rd  Hen.  VI.  1444. — Instructions  issued  to  the  com- 
missioners who  were  appointed  to  borrow  money  for  the  expenses  of 
the  King's  marriage  -         -         «...  p.  322 — 325 

Assigned  to  the  24^  Hen.  VI.  1445-6. — Petition  to  the  King  praying 
that  parchment  and  other  necessaries  might  be  provided  <'  for  the 
writing  and  making  of  certain  books  in  your  Exchequer/'  which  are 
specified,  "of  large  and  legible  hand  and  in  great  volumes,''  the 
originals  being  in  so  small  a  hand  and  decayed  as  to  be  scarcely 
legible p.  325 

17 th  February,  26  Hen.  VI.  1443.— Petition  to  the  King  for  a  warrant 
to  the  keeper  of  the  jewels  for  the  delivery  of  a  cup  of  silver  gilt, 
weighing  four  pounds  eleven  ounces  and  three  quarters,  to  John  Say, 
esquire      -------p.  326 

1(MA  April,  assigned  to  26th  Hen.  VI.  1447-8.— Letter  from  the  King  to 
the  bailiff  of  Great  Yarmouth,  charging  him  to  bring  before  the 
Council  on  the  20th  of  the  present  month  Richard  Elys,  a  merchant 
of  that  town,  who  had  been  arrested  by  a  writ  of  "  capias  utlegat'  ** 
for  a  debt  due  to  Sir  John  Fastalf  ....  p.  326 

Assigned  to  the  26th  Hen.  VI.  1447-8.— Writ  directed  to  the  keeper  of 
the  seal  of  Chester,  forbidding  him  to  interfere  with  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  bishop  of  that  see  in  matters  touching  the  **  correction  of 
souls"  -----••    p.  327 

Assigned  to  the  26th  Hen.  VL  1447-8.— Petition  to  the  Lord  Treasurer 
from  Richard  Heynes  and  Robert  Pylton,  the  King's  commissioners 
(of  customs),  stating  that  by  the  connivance  of  Robert  Pyn,  one  of 
the  bailiffs  of  Yarmouth,  a  quantity  of  wool  and  woolfells  had  been 
shipped  from  that  port,  whereby  the  King  had  been  defrauded  of 
customs  to  the  amount  of  1,000/. ;  that  the  said  Pyn  being  supported 
by  other  misdoers,  they  could  not  perform  their  duties ;  and  praying 
that  he  might  be  cited  to  appear  before  the  Council,  and  that  Sir 


CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE.       xxxv 

Miles  Stapleton  and  Thomaa  Fen^  the  constables  of  the  town,  might 
be  commanded  to  assist  them  in  the  execution  of  their  office : — which 
was  granted  ....  .p.  S28-~SS0 

Dated  lUk  Jvfyy  apparently  in  ike  Slsi  Him.  VL  1463^— Letter  from  the 
King  to  Henry  Bromflete,  Lord  Vessy,  charging  him  to  send  by  the 
bearer  the  sum  of  200  marks,  which  he  had  promised  to  lend  towards 
the  support  of  the  army  in  Guienne     -  •  -        -    p.  SSO 

Srd  Mmrky  34  Hen.  VL  U55-6.—3Bmae$  of  Council  relative  to  the 
appointment  of  a  sheriff  for  the  county  of  Lincoln       -    '    •    p.  SSI 

flA  January^  apparently  in  the  S5l4  Hen.  VL  H57. — ^Letter  from  the 
King  to  the  lords  spiritual  and  temporal,  summoning  them  to  attend 
a  Great  Council  at  Coventry  on  the  14th  of  February  following 

p.SSS 

Vltk  November,  assigned  to  the  S2nd  Hen.  VL  1454.— Letter  from  the 
KjDg  to  the  Chancellor  of  the  University  and  Mayor  of  the  town  of 
Cambridge,  charging  them  to  prevent  the  scholars  or  commonalty 
from  interfering  in  the  ensuing  election  of  knights  of  the  shire 

p.^S5 

ISA  April,  teng>.  Hen.  r/.*- Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Welles, 
charging  him  to  keep  the  peace  towards  William  Tailbois     -    p.  S36 

Temp.  Hen.  VL — Memoranda  submitted  to  the  King  by  the  Archbishop 
of  Canierbury,  the  Lord  Chancellor,  to  whom  his  Majesty  had 
referred  certain  letters  lately  received  from  the  Emperor  on  the 
subject  of  the  church ;  who  was  to  suggest  what  answer  should  be 
returned  thereto  -  -  -  -  -    p.  887 — 389 

16<4  Jprilj  temp.  Hen.  VL — ^Letter  from  the  King  to  the  keeper  of  the 
privy  seal,  commanding  him  to  summon  the  knights  and  esquires 
therein  named  to  attend  the  Council  on  the  Slst  of  May  following 

p.  339—342 


MEMORANDA  OF  THE  DELIVERY  OF  THE  GREAT  SEAL 
DURING  THE  REIGN  OF  KING  HENRY  THE  SIXTH. 

28th  Sqftember,  1  Hen.  VL  1422. — ^Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of  the 
Great  Seal  of  gold  by  Thomas  Bishop  of  Durham,  Chancellor  of 
England,  to  the  King  at  Windsor  Castle,  and  of  the  delivery  thereof 
by  the  Duke  of  Gloucester  to  Simon  Gaunstede,  keeper  of  the  Rolls 
of  Chancery,  by  whom  it  was  conveyed  to  London  -    p.  343 

16(&  November t  1  Hen.VL  1422. — Letters  patent  appointing  Thomas 
fiishop  of  Durham  chancellor  of  England  -  -    p.  345 

}6thJtifyy  2Hen.VL  1424.^Memorandum  of  the  delivery  of  the  Great 
Seal  of  silver  by  Thomas  Bishop  of  Durham,  Chancellor  of  England, 
to  the  King  at  Hertford  Castle,  and  of  the  delivery  of  the  same  to 
Henry  Bishop  of  Winchester  -  -  -  -    p.  346 


xMvi  CHRONOLOGICAL  CATALOGUE. 

14^  Marchj  4  Hen,VL  1426. — Memorandum  of  the  delivery  of  the 
Great  Seal  of  silver  by  the  Duke  of  Bedford  to  the  King  at  the 
Abbey  of  Leicester,  and  of  the  re-delivery  of  it  to  the  Bishop  of 
London,  who  took  the  oath  of  Chancellor  -  ~    P*  ^7 

9Bth Februaiyy  10  Hen.VL  1432. — Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of 
the  two  Great  Seals  by  John  Archbishop  of  York,  at  Westminster, 
and  of  the  delivery  of  the  same  by  the  King  to  John  Bishop  of  Bath, 
on  the  27th  of  the  same  month  «  -  •        -    p.  S49 

^2nd  Aprily  11  JIen.VL  1433. — Memorandum  of  the  delivery  of  the 
Great  Seal  of  silver  to  John  Frank  clerk,  keeper  of  the  Rolls  of 
Chancery,  to  be  used  by  him  during  the  absence  of  the  Bishop  of 
Bath,  the  Chancellor,  in  France,  and  of  the  surrender  thereof  to  the 
said  Bishop  on  the  23d  of  May  following        -  -         -    p.  351 

31«f  January  J  28  Hen.  VL  1450. — Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of  the 
two  Great  Seals  by  John  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  of  the  de* 
livery  thereof  by  the  King  to  the  Archbishop  of  York         -    p.  352 

9nd  April,  32  Hen.VL  1454. — Memorandum  of  the  appointment  of  the 
Earl  of  Salisbury  as  chancellor,  upon  the  death  of  John  late  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  and  of  the  delivery  of  the  three  Great  Seals  to 
him  in  Parliament  -  -  -  -  -    P-  355 

7th  Marchy  33  Hen^VL  1455. — Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of  the 
three  Great  Seals  by  Richard  Earl  of  Salisbury,  and  of  the  delivery 
thereof  by  the  King  to  Thomas  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  -    p.  358 

11^  October^  35  Hen^VL  1456. — Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of  the 
three  Great  Seals  by  Thomas  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  at  Coventry, 
and  of  the  delivery  thereof  by  the  King  to  Thomas  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester        -  -  -  -  -  -  -p*  360 

7ih  Jfdy^  38  Hen.  VL  1460. — Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of  a  Great 
Seal  of  silver  by  William  Bishop  of  Winchester  to  the  King  in  his 
tent  pitched  in  Hardingstone  Field,  near  Northampton        -    p*  361 

25^  Jtdy^  38  HetuVL  1460. — Memorandum  of  the  surrender  of  the 
three  Great  Seals  by  Thomas  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  the 
palace  of  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  of  the  delivery  thereof  by  the 
King  to  George  Bishop  of  Exeter  •  -  -    p.  362 


ADDENDA  et  CORRIGENDA. 

p.  ill.  1. 9Smfor  Duke  read  EarL 

y.  ]•  2^  fir  Ibid,  read  Minutes  of  the  CounciL 

▼i.  ].  42.>r  92.  rtad  29. 

iv.  and  15^16.  The  date  assigned  to  the  letter  from  the 
Council  to  the  Duke  of  Brittany  in  this  page  is  very 
doubtful.    See  the  Preface^  p.  yi*  note  2. 

28. 1.  IS.  far  1443  read  144S-4v 

▼ii.  and  32.  The  proper  date  of  the  Proceeding  of  the  Council 
is  undoubtedly  the  1st  February^  22d  Hen.  VI.  14449 
notwithstanding  it  is  said  in  the  original  transcript  in  the 
British  Museum  to  have  occurred  in  the  23rd  Hen.yi. 
It  ought,  therefore,  to  have  been  inserted  in  p.  9S. 
See  the  Preface,  pp.  x-xii. 

67-  The  Priory  mentioned  in  the  petition  is  presumed  to  have 
been  Rowner  in  Hiampskire.  Vide  the  Preface, 
p.  Ixxxviii. 

xviii.  and  130.  The  letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  Thomas  Stan- 
ley and  Sir  Thomas  Harrington  must  have  been  written 
in  the  32nd  and  not  in  the  31st  Hen.  VL— 1454 
instead  of  1453.  It  ought,  therefore,  to  have  been 
inserted  in  p.  181.    See  the  Preface,  p.  lv« 

131.  L  30.  Exon  <^ihe  original  copyisi  mutt  have  been  Oxon. 

298. 1. 19-  far  June  read  April. 

299. 1.  \^.far  19.  read  29. 

396. 1. 12.  far  4,  78,  read  4,  7,  8. 


VOL.  VI.  [c  3] 


ACTS 


OF 


THE   PRIVY   COUNCIL, 


IN   THE   REIGN   OF 


KING    HENRY   THE    SIXTH. 


1422  —  1461. 


VOL.  VI.  B 


ACTS  OF  THE  PRIVY  COUNCIL 


OF 


KING    HENRY  VI. 


Acta  de  Anno  Vicesimo  secundo. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius,  B.  vi.  f.  56.  coniemporary  MS. 

The  King's  answer  to  the  demands  made  by  Giles  of  Brittany,  and  the 
other  ambassadors  of  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  on  the  26th  August 
1443.1  This  article  is  printed  in  D.  Maurice's  ''  Memoires  pour 
servir  pour  de  preuves  de  la  histoire  de  Bretagne,"  (tome  ii. 
pp.  1S60-1,)  from  the  Original  in  the  archives  at  Nantes.  See 
also  Lobineau's  Histoire  de  Bretagne,  (tome  i.  p.  62,S.)  There  are 
no  variations  between  the  copies,  and  this  document  is  reprinted 
here  because  it  forms  part  of,  and  illustrates,  the  other  articles 
connected  with  the  afiairs  of  Brittany  in  the  year  1443.] 

Responses  faictes  depar  le  Roy  nre  i^  a  MonfGilles 
de  Bretaigne  et  a  aurs  gens  de  Monf  le  Due 
de  Bretaigne  sur  les  choses  darment  par  eulx 
exposees  au  Roy  depar  le  dit  Due. 

Premierement  j  le  Roy  fire  dit  seignr  a  este  \  est  tres- 
joieux  et  to  content  de  la  venue  devers  lui  de  mond 

1  Although  the  26th  August  144S  was  in  the  twenty -first  year  of  the 
reign  of  King  Henry  the  Sixth,  this  article  is  inserted  under  the  twenty- 
tecimd  year  of  that  reign,  to  prevent  its  being  separated  from  the  other 
documents  relating  to  Brittany  which  were  written  in  the  year  1443. 

B  2 


I  ■    -., 

I  - 

4  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1443. 

i 

i'  Gilles  lequel  tous  temps  il  a  eu  et  av  •  •  •  en  es- 
perance  amour  1  singuliere  dileccon  come  raison  est^ 
tant  pour  la  prochainete  de  lignaigne  dont  il  attient  au 
Roy  J  come  pour  les  vertue^  1  nobles  meurs  que  le  Roy 
scet  1  cognoist  estre  en  la  personne  dicellui  Monf  Gilles 
des  son  jone  age  quil  estoit  devs  le  Roy  j  esqueles 
vertuz  il  a  tousjours  depuis  continue  par  augmentacon 
de  bn  en  mieulx  sic5me  le  Roy  en  est  aplein  informe  j 
Et  mercie  le  Roy  led  Due  du  desir  quil  a  que  mond 
i  Gilles  lui  face  Ivice. 

Itemy  entant  que  touche  la  possession  du  Conte  de 
Richmont  que  mond  i  de  Bretaigne  demande  en  faisant 
au  Roy  homaige  par  procur  \c. 

Response  y  Le  Roy  ne  oit  ne  entenoit  oncqs  jusques 
a  pnt  que  mond  f  de  Bretaigne  pretendist  avoir  aucun 
droit  ou  dit  Conte  j  Et  pour  ce  le  Roy  desirant  a  uncliun 
soulz  lui  mistrer  bonne  justice  ainsi  que  a  sa  Royal 
Mageste  apptient  le  veult  faire  en  ceste  partie  a  mond 
(  de  Bretaigne  qui  est  son  parent  si  tresprochain  y  Si 
fera  a  grant  diligen  veoir  1  visiter  les  registres  et  en- 
seignemens  estans  en  son  tresor  et  en  ses  cours  des 
temps  de  ses  pdecesseurs  ^  Et  selon  ce  qui  en  pora 
estre  trouve  il  fera  en  ceste  partie  a  mond  f  de  Bretaigne 
si  bonne  expediccon  avec  toute  faveur  que  par  raison 
devra  estre  content  j  Et  sil  appt  au  Roy  que  le  Due 
ait  droit  oud  Conte  de  Richemont  il  le  recevra  de  rsbon 
cueur  a  lomaige  qui  y  apptient  selon  les  droiz  loys 
coustumes  %  usaiges  de  son  roy™*  Danglerre. 

Item^  entant  que  mond  i  de  Bretaigne  desire  soy 
emploier  au  bn  de  la  paix  genial  dentre  les  deulx  roy™**  de 
France  Tt  Danglerre  j  le  Roy  en  mercie  du  bon  du  cueur 
mond  i  de  Bretaigne  j  Et  desire  le  Roy  que  le  dit  Due 
et  tous  auts  princes  Catholiques  aiet  cognois^ance  et 


144S.]  22  HENRY  VI.  5 

letir  memoire  y  coment  feu  prince  de  tresnoble  recor- 
dadon  le  Roy  son  pere  que  Dieux  absoille  poursuy  le 
Bn  de  ladte  paix  tant  quil  vesqui  de  toute  sa  poissance  v 
£t  depuis  le  Roy  nre  i  en  ensuivant  les  traches  de  sond 
fer^  feu  pere  a  continuelmt  durant  son  temps  poursuy 
icelle  paix  samblement  ^  Car  toutesfoiz  que  par  son 
adversaire  ou  aurs  la  matiere  lui  a  este  ouverte  il  y  a 
entendu  efiectuelmt^  en  envoiant  pva  plufs  foiz  ^  en 
dirs  lieux  grans  seignrs  de  son  sang  et  autres  notables 
hommes  de  son  conseil  de  divers  estats  gamiz  de  povoir 
souffisant  pour  y  besoignier  %  conclure  a  la  tres  grosse 
charge  1  despense  du  Roy^  et  ses  parens  vassaulx  1 
fviteurs  y  ont  bn  prins  grosses  perils  %  labours  j  et  na 
tenu  au  Roy  ne  aux  siens  que  pieca  la  chose  nait  prins 
bonne  fin^  Neantmoins  le  Roy  toudis  continuant  en 
son  saint  1  loable  ppos  pour  revence  de  Dieu  nre  Benoit 
Createur  pour  eviter  lefiiision  du  sang  humain  j  les  perilz 
des  ames  du  peuple  Xpien  j  et  les  autres  inconveniens 
qui  de  plus  en  plus  se  acroissent  t  multiplient  a  cause 
de  la  longue  cbtinuance  des  guerres^  est  ^  sera  tons 
temps  come  prince  Catholique  j  prest  de  entendre  au  bn 
de  ladte  paix  par  tons  bons  t  raisonnables  moiens  ^  et 
est  tresjoieux  1  content  que  mond  £  de  Bretaigne  se 
emploie  et  besoigne  en  icelle  c5me  mediateur  j  sans 
toutesvoies  en  forclore  ou  debouter  autres  qui  par  cy 
devant  se  sont  offers  ou  qui  cy  aps  se  pouroient  offrir 
de9s  le  Roy  a  .  .  •  y  emploier  y  Et  se  aucunes  ouv'tures 
CD  sont  ou  estoient  ftes  ...  la  partie  advse  a  mond 
£  de  Bretaigne  J  le  Roy  lui  prie  que  tons  temps  en 
bonne  diligen  les  lui  veuUe  signifier  c5me  en  lui  en 
parfaitte  confidence  ^  Encores  de  pnt  le  Roy  est  tout 
conclu  1  delibree  denvoier  bn  procbment  en  France  ses 
notables  ambassadeurs  lesquelz  poront  plus  aulong  de« 


6  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  X144S. 

clairer  a  mond  i  de  Bretaigne  laffeccion  %  parfait  vouloir 
que  le  Roy  a  au  hn  dicelle  paiXi/  et  se  la  divine 
misericorde  voult  estre  sa  grace  que  paix  y  puist  estre 
trouver  j  le  Roy  fera  que  mond  i^  de  Bretaigne  y 
sera  compris  par  bons  et  honnorables  termes. 

£t  entant  que  les  dessusdiz  depar  mond  f  de  Bretaigne 
desirent  restitucon  estre  fte  de  plufs  prises  1  pilleries 
quilz  dient  estre  ftes  par  les  subgietz  du  Roy  sur  ceulx 
du  pais  de  Bretaigne  1c.  Le  Roy  a  souventesfoiz  receu 
t  cliun  jour  recoit  divses grans  pleintes  de  ses  subgietz^ 
disans  eulx  estre  tresgrandemt  adomaiges  par  teles  prises 
faites  sur  eulx  par  ceulx  de  Bretaigne  j  dont  le  Roy  a 
plufs  foiz  escript  a  feu  le  Due  son  oncle  et  aussi  a  mond 
i  de  Bretaigne  depuis  quil  est  venu  a  seignourie.  Mais 
le  Roy  na  point  sceu  que  a  ses  subgietz  en  ait  este  fte 
restitucon  j  Car  encore  joumelmt  a  grant  clameur  en 
sont  faittes  vers  lui  poursuites^  dont  le  Roy  a  grant 
pitie  desirant  que  a  teles  prises  soit  convenablemt  remedie 
%  pourveu  ^  Et  acelle  fin  fut  avise  trois  ans  a  ou  envir 
par  les  ges  du  Roy  avec  les  gens  de  feu  le  Due  son  oncle 
lors  par  lui  envoies  en  Angleterre  j  que  le  Due  envoieroit 
pardeca  de  ses  gensy  avec  lesquelz  le  Roy  deputeroit 
des  siens  pour  oir  toutes  teles  pleintes  et  finalmt  en  ap- 
pointier  tant  dun  coste  que  dautre^/  en  pourveant  depaix 
1  seurte  pour  le  temps  advenir  j  dont  riens  na  este  fait 
de  la  ptie  dud  Due  j  Si  na  pas  tenu  au  Roy  ne  aux  siens  ^ 
Neantmoins  toutesfoiz  que  le  Due  y  voulera  envoier  j  le 
Roy  comettera  de  ses  gens  pour  besoignr  avec  ceulx  du 
Due  au  bn  de  ceste  matiere  y  et  ce  pendant  le  Roy  fera 
crier  1  publier  sur  ses  ports  de  mer  en  toute  dilige£l  que 
par  ses  gens  ne  soit  porte  aucun  ddmaige  aux  subgietz 
de  mond  £  de  Bretaigne  1  desirant  que  samblablemt  par 
dela;mond  f  de  Bretaigne  face  comander  aux  siens  pour 


44450  ^  HENRY  VI.  7 

les  subgietz  du  Roj^  Donne  ou  palais  a  Westm  le 
sxirj'^V  jour  Daoust  Ian  de  grace  mil  ccccxliij. 

Benet. 

{In  dorso.)  par'**  y  i  Gilles  of  Bf  1  ]>e  o^^  ambassadeurs 
deli^ed  unto  )^  K.  and  Jianswerf  y^JL  gave  unto  he 
at  Henlee  on  ]^  HeetL 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius^  B.  yi.  f.  51.  amten^wrory  MS. 

Hie  following  appear  to  be  the  Answers  giveir  by  the  King  to 
points  submitted  by  Giles  of  Biittany,  after  the  preceding  docu- 
ment was  written*  and  apparently  between  September  and  De- 
cember, 22  Hen.  VI.  1443.] 

Response  faicte  depar  le  Roy  nre  souvain  seignur 
a  certaines  demandes  nadgaires  baillees  en 
esc^t  par  Mon#  Giles  de  Bretaigne. 

Primerement  y  entant  q  led  Monf  Gilles  demande  de- 
livrance  estre  faicte  depar  le  Roy  a  Monf  le  Due  de 
Bretaigne  son  fre  de  la  Conte  de  Richemont  pour  enjoir 
par  le  dit  Due  Ic.  £n  ensuiant  le  response  qui  en  ceste 
partie  fut  nagaires  faicte  aux  ambassadeurs  dicellui  Due 
qui  darnient  vinrent  pardeca  en  la  compaignie  de  mond 
i  Gilles  y  le  Roy  a  fait  veoir  ^  visiter  en  grant  diligen  les 
registres  1  asseignemens  estans  en  son  tresore  et  en  ses 
courts  des  temps  de  ses  predecesseurs  j  Et  par  iceulx  est 
trouve  tresclerement  q  feu  le  Roy  Edward  tint  en  sa 
main  le  dit  Conte  de  Richemont  1  enapres  le  donna  au 
Due  de  Lenclastre  son  fitz  j  le  quel  a  ce  tiltre  le  tint  et 
possida  par  aucun  temps  et  jusques  a  ce  qil  feust  re- 
compensez  en  autre  manier^  et  reprinst  lors  le  Roy 
Richard  le  Second  led  Conte  en  sa  main« 

B  4 


8  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1448. 

Item  ^  par  yceulx  asseignemens  est  trouve  semMement 
que  enapres  icellui  Conte  de  Richemont  fut  baillie  a  la 

Sic.      Roy  Anne  en  assignement  de  partie  de  son  douaire  ^ 

•  •  • 

la  quel  a  ce  tiltre  enjoie  tout  son  vivant. 

Item  J  par  le  trespassement  dicelle  Dame  j  le  dit  Conte 
de  Richemont  retourna  a  la  coronne  j  et  le  tint  feu  le 
Roy  Henry  le  quart  qui  Dieux  absoille  j  lequelle  en  disposa 
a  son  plaisir  j  Neantmoins  ainsi  que  aursfoiz  a  este  re- 
spondu  J  le  Roy  desirant  a  uncl&un  estre  admistree 
raison  et  justice  ainsi  qil  apptienty  vouilant  aussi  a  mond 
i  de  Bretaigne  faire  toute  amistie  et  faveur  y  attendue  la 
prouchainete  de  lignaige  en  quoy  mond  i  de  Bretaigne 
lui  attienti/  toutesfoiz  q  icellui  Monf  de  Bretaigne 
vouldra  faire  remonstrer  au  Roy  plus  au  clere  le  tiltre  \ 
le  droit  qil  pretend  avoir  au  Conte  de  Richemont  j  le 
Roy  lui  fera  faire  en  ceste  partie  si  bonne  et  gracieuse 
expedicon  de  justice  avecques  toute  faveur  que  par  raison 
mond  i  de  Bretaigne  en  devra  estre  content  j  en  faisant 
par  led  Due  de  son  coste  devs  le  Roy  en  ceste  partie  ce 
quil  apptiendra  par  raison. 

Item  J  entant  q  mond  Seignur  de  Bretaigne  desire  faire 
au  Roy  lomaige  deu  a  cause  du  dit  Conte  de  Richemont 
par  procur  ^  et  q  pour  le  faire  en  nom  de  lui  il  ad  donne 
povair  aud  Monf  Gilles  son  fre  "^c.  ainsi  que  dessus  est 
dit  J  le  Roy  vouldroit  i'aire  a  mond  i  de  Bretaigne  le 
plus  damiste  et  faveur  qil  poroit  bonnement  ^  Mays 
selonc  les  loys  1  la  custume  de  son  reaume  Dangleterre 
a  toutz  temps  observees  j  quiconques  lui  doit  h5mage  il 
est  tenu  de  la  faire  en  sa  personne  j  Et  nest  point  trouve 
que  es  temps  passez  le  Roy  ne  ses  predecesseurs  y  aient 
receu  aucun  en  autr  manier  j  fuissent  leurs  filz^  leurs  fresy 
ne  pour  quelque  prochainete  de  lignaige. 


1441]  92  HENRY  VI.  9 

£t  quant  a  ce  q  mond  Seignur  Grilles  desire  q  mond  1^ 
de  Bretaignie  soit  compris  en  traictie  de  la  paix  se  la 
divine  misericord  e  veult  ottroier  q  paix  soit  trouvee  entre 
le  Roy  et  son  adversair  de  Fraunce  j  Ja  par  diverses  foitz 
et  darmet  par  lesditz  ambassadeurs  du  Due  le  Roy  lui  a 
fait  savoir  hn  largemt  de  son  entencon  en  ceste  matier  j 
£t  que  en  cas  devantd  mon  [dit]  ( de  Bretaigne  y  sera 
compris  par  bons  et  honurables  termes  y  la  quele  chose 
]e  Roy  et  son  counsail  quant  le  temps  venra  avront  en 
bonne  souvenance. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julias,  B.  vi.  f.  54.  eontengmrary  MS* 

Memoir  containing  Giles  of  Brittany's  answers  to  certain  propositions 
made  to  him  by  the  King's  Council.  The  date  of  this  article  does 
not  appear,  but  it  was  probably  written  in  1443.] 

Memoire  de  remonstrer  les  chof  qui  eni  sur  les 
demandes  q  on  a  fait  a  mon  Seigneur  Gilles  de 
Bretaigne. 

Premier  y  coment  Monseignr  Gilles  de  Bretaigne  des 
le  temps  de  son  enfance  et  jeune  age  sest  dispose  a  Ivir 
le  Roy  et  a  vouloir  son  honneur  bien  t  proufit  a  son 
poair^  et  deiupuix  en  considerant  les  grans  bus  \  honn'rs 
quil  a  pleu  au  Roy  lui  faire  a  tousjours  psevere  ^  cotinue 
enrs  lui  son  bon  ppos  et  volente  j  et  pour  actainer  le 
Roy  de  son  bon  vouloir  1  desir  quil  a  de  lui  faire  f  vice  sest 
dispose  a  venir  en  psonne  pdeca  en  obtempant  mesmes 
aux  tres  q  par  plul^s  [foiz]  il  a  pleu  au  Roy  lui  escripre  j 
et  auxi  a  p  le  f^  de  Seudelay  1  au?s  ses  fviteurs  il  le  lui 
a  fait  sav  en  offrant  mond  i'  Gilles  au  Roy  son  fvice  au 
Roy  t  obeir  a  ses  comadems. 

£t  soit  ainsi  que  on  a  demande  a  mond  (^  Gilles  quel 
^ice  il  vouloit  faire  au  Roy  et  en  quoy  il  se  vouloit 


10  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  ftU5. 

femploier  pour  lui^  a  quoy  mood  i^  Gillesr  a  respondu 
que  a  lui  napptenoit  pas  de  choaysir  le  fvice  quil  vouloit 
faire  Roy  j  ainx  estoit  au  Roy  de  lui  dire  It  c5inander 
en  quel  fvice  son  plaisir  estoit  quil  le  fveist  j  ceque  mond 
f^  Gilles  desire  faire  de  tout  son  cueur. 

Et  pour  ce  que  on  a  demande  a  mondit  Seigneur  sil 
vouloit  ivir  le  Roy  a  la  paix  et  a  la  guerre  j  mondit 
Seigneur  a  respondu  quil  estoit  content  et  bien  joyeux 
de  Ivir  le  Roy  en  toutes  les  tacons  quil  lui  plaira  lui 
c5mader  j  son  honneur  garde  j  pourveu  quil  plaise  au  Roy 
ordener  si  bn  de  lui  quil  nait  cause  de  querir  son  bien 
ailleurs  j  car  quant  il  se  seroit  une  foiz  expose  1  declaire 
a  la  guerre  il  ne  froit  jamais  abille  ne  recevable  bonne- 
ment  a  avoir  en  autre  lieu  aucun  grant  bien  avantageux 
et  ne  devroit  pas  le  Roy  vouloir  len  forclure  •  si  tout 
premier  et  avant  il  ne  d5noit  provision  amond  i^  Gilles 
dont  il  peust  honorablemt  son  estat  soustenir  en  fvice 
du  Roy  selon  quil  apptient  a  seigneur  de  telle  maison 
quil  est  et  qui  de  si  pres  de  lignage  ataint  au  Roy. 

'  Item  J  et  pour  ce  que  on  a  demande  a  mondit  Seigneur 
Gilles  quil  face  Iment  au  Roy  avecques  ctaines  fortes 
liaysons  contenues  es  articles  baillees  a  mond  £^  p  les  gens 
du  conseilt  du  Roy  y  par  moien  de  ctaine  ordennace  lui 
ouverte  ^  il  semble  amond  i^  Gilles  que  nest  chose  moult 
estrage  J  attendu  ce  que  desf  est  dit^  et  le  bon  vouloir  qui! 
a  tousjo^E  au  Roy  j  et  veu  quil  la  fvi  a  son  poair  sanz  en 
avoir  aucuns  gaiges  ne  louer  j  aincois  se  y  est  submis 
de  son  franc  vouloir  quil  est  vraysemble  que  detant  q  le 
Roy  lui  fera  plus  de  biens  il  lui  fra  oblige  de  plus  en  plus  ^ 
et  a  entente  de  #vir  le  Roy  plus  de  fait  que  de  dit  j  ainsi 
q  nature  le  y  amoneste. 

Item^  et  pour  ce  que  on  a  ouvert  amond  (^  Gilles 
Ctaines  offres  et  ordennaces   pour  ce  faire  j  il   semblo. 


14*3.]  2^  HENRY  VL  H 

amond  i'  que  elles  sont  moult  tendres  et  petites  j  attendu 
q  par  ce  moien  lui  liroit  force  de  renoncer  a  tout  aut  bien^ 
et  toutesfoiz  il  sen  rapporte  au  boa  plaisir  du  Roy  j  et 
cognoist  bien  que  lad  ordenuance  est  plus  grande  quil  na 
ddyij  mais  elle  ne  suffiroit  pas  a  soustenir  son  estat  a 
lonneur  du  Roy  et  de  lui. 

Item  J  et  mondit  Seigneur  Gilles  voyant  It  considerant 
ce  quil  a  pleu  au  Roy  par  plu#s  [foiz]  lui  escripre  et  auxi 
fe  savoir  par  aucuns  ses  #viteurs  ainsi  q  desf  est  dit  j  et 
niesmes  pour  le  tresgrant  desir  et  singuliere  affeccon  que 
mondit  Seignr  Gilles  avoit  de  voir  le  Roy  en  personnel  en 
se  mettant  en  devoir  vers  lui  j  ainsi  q  raison  est^  et  pour 
mettre  son  cueur  a  son  aise  j  est  venu  pardeca^  suppliant 
au  Roy  q  sur  cestes  chof  il  lui  plaise  faire  donn!  en  brieff 
response  amondit  Seigneur  et  declairer  en  ceste  mare  son 
intencon  et  bonne  volente  et  promptemt  le  fe  expedier  a 
son  bon  plaisir. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius,  B.  vi.  f.49.  coniemporary  MS. 

Memoir  delivered  to  the  Council  by  Giles  of  Brittany,  on  the  part  of 
his  brother  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  apparently  about  October  or 
NoTember,  22  Hen.  VI.  1443.  Answers  were  ordered  to  be  given 
to  these  demands  on  the  12th  December  in  the  same  year.  Vide 
pp.16 — 19  postea'] 

MEMOiRE^de  remonstrer  au  Roy  et  a  son  conseill  les 
chof  qui  enij  lesquelles  mon  Seignr  de  Bretaigne 
a  fait  savoir  a  mon  Seigfir  Gilles  son  frere. 

Premier^  comt  mondit  Seignr  de  Bretaigne  a  fait  savoir 
amend  f '  Gilles  j  que  lav^saire  du  Roy  lui  a  fait  savoir  par 
Jres  J  conten  en  effeict  comt  il  avoit  sceu  que  le  Roy  devoit 
evoier  de  [dePs]  lui  Monf"^  de  Suffolk  ou  au?s  des  siens 
pour  comiiiquer  ou  fait  de  la  paix  j  en  priant  mond  f  ^  de 


12  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1443. 

Bretalgne  ql  fust  ders  lui  autemps  quilzy  arriveroientv  affin 
de  senbesoigner  et  emploier  au  fait  de  lad  paix  j  ainsi 
q  depavant  ces  heures  il  av*  voulu  que  feist  feu  Monf*  de 
Bretaigne  que  Dieu  absoille  ^  et  que  en  ce  que  sen  feroit 
le  y  comprandroit  de  sa  part  et  y  garderoit  son  ranc  ainsi 
ql  lui  apptient  et  c5me  aux  auts  seigiirs  proiches  de  son 
sange^  laquelle  allee  mond  i^  de  Bretaigne  a  differe 
{[ottrier]  jucquesace  que  leust  fait  sav  au  Roy  et  q  de 
ce  il  sceust  sa  bonne  volente  v  et  que  mondit  Seigneur 
Gilles  le  voulseist  remonstrer  au  Roy  j  £t  pour  ce  mondit 
Seignr  Gilles  supplie  au  Roy  quil  lui  plaise  sur  ce  faire 
savoir  a  mondit  Seigneur  de  Bretaigne  son  bon  plaisir. 

Itm  4  et  que  mondit  Seigneur  de  Bretaigne  mesmes  a 
fait  savoir  a  mondit  Seigneur  Gilles  que  Monf  le  Due  de 
Sdmercet  neantmoins  la  paix  final  \  les  appointems  faiz 
jent  le  Roy  ses  pais  et  subgiz  et  mond  Seigneur  de  Bre- 
taigne et  les  siens  j  est  entre  oud  pais  de  Bretaigne  avec 
grant  nilbre  de  gens  darmes  j  en  quel  pais  il  a  fait  plu£i 
exploiz  de  guerre  moult  crueux  \  enormes  et  c5me 
en  pais  de  conqueste  non  obstant  que  oud  pais  ^  es 
bonnes  villes  estantf  es  pties  il  \  ses  gens  eussent 
trouve  toute  faveur  \  recoeill  coe  amis  15nveillans^  et 
enoultr  ce  mondit  Seigilr  de  S5mercet  et  ses  gens  sont 
entrez  en  une  des  villes  dudit  pais  de  Bretaigne  n5mee 
Laquierche^  laquelle  ils  ont  pillee  \  destruite  sanz  av^ 
esgart  es  appointems  delad  paix  j  ja  soit  ce  que  elle  par 
moulz  expres  y  fust  c5p*nse  j  et  durant  letemps  quil  a 
tenu  ladville  a  fait  plufs  cources  oud  pais  de  Bret"  a 
Aa  totalle  destruccon  du  peupple  deviron  et  avant  quil 
sen  soit  voulu  deptir  a  convenu  a  mond  f '  de  Bref*' 
appointer  a  lui  a  la  s5me  de  xx™.  saluz  dont  il  a  eu 
x"^.  contens  et  du  seurplus  a  eu  seelle  den  esf  paie 
dedanz  nouel  pcfin  lequel  appointemt  mond  I'  de  Brel 
a  fait  po'  obvier  aux  grans  maulx  \  exceux  q  on  faisoit 


1448.]  22  HENRY  VI.  13 

a  son  pouvre  peupple  j  espant  le  cas  remonstre  au  Roy 

quil  lui  en  face  restituSon  j  queS  chof  est  fe  et  attemptee 

conr  lestat  delad  paix  et  en  enfraingnant  icetle  ^  laquelle 

mod  f*  de  Bret***  desire  enttenir  de  sa  part.    Supp*"*  au 

Roj  q  pour  le  Bn  et  enrtenement  dicelle  il  lui  plaise 

faire  fe  reppaSon  1  restituSon  des  exceix  et  doages  desfd 

et  7  po'voir  de  son  gracieux  remede  j  car  lesd  chof  sont 

moult  dures  \  estranges  [a  endurer]  a  mond  P  de  Bre- 

taigne  et  a  son  pais. 

Ben£t. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius,  B.  vi.  f.  42.  eomtempcrary  MS. 

Letter  from  the  Council  to  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  dated  2nd  December, 
and  apparently  in  the  22nd  Hen.VI.  1443.] 

Hault  \  puissant  Prince  v  Nous  sumes  rscordialmet 

desirant  savoir  lestat  \  bonne  prospite  de  vre    noble 

psoQue  que   Dieu  par   sa  benigne  grace  vueille  tons 

temps  multiplier  de  Bn  en  mieulx.    Si  vous  supplions 

que  pour  nre  consolacon  singuliere  par  les  entvenana 

messages  vous  plaise  souvet  nous  en  certiffier  4  car  pour 

nte  den  oir  en  bn  ung  chascu  de  nous  aura  tsg^nt  leesse. 

Hault  1  puissant  Prince  nous  avons  depieca  \  encor  de 

nouvel  entendu  par  les  greifurs  1  piteuses  complaints  que 

nous  ont  ftes  \  font  de  jour  en  aulr  les  vassaulx  \ 

subgiez  du  Roy  Denglerre  \  de  France  nre  sorain 

seignry  coment  non  obstant  le  traittie  de  la  paix  final 

des  deux  royaumes  par  vous  voz  vassaulx  I  subgiez  si 

soUennemet  jure  It  promise  j  vosdiz  subgiez  en  venant 

contre  ladte  paix  \  c5me  y  semble  en  cotept  dicelle^ 

quant  ceux  de  iire  dit  souvain  seignr  vont  ou  veignet 

sur  mer  It  tre  v  les  aucuns  pour  son  fvice  j  aulrs  en  leurs 

marchadises  \  occupacons  cotidiennes  qui  ne  pensent 


14  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [144S. 

nont  entencon  de  porter  ou  faire  aucu  ddmage  en  voz 
pais  %  seigneuries  j  meismemt  ceulx  qui  sur  la  dte  mer  se 
tiennet  pour  le  fait  de  pescherie  pnsant  que   par  le 
moyen  de  ladte  paix  soyent  sceurs  It  bn  venuz  ainsi  que 
devroyent  entre  les  vres  ^  1  que  silz  cheoyent  en  dangier 
icelle  paix  les  en  deust  garentir  It  hors  getter  j  car  silz 
eussent  sceu  le  contraire  estoit  15n  en  leur  povoir  deulx 
pourveoir  contre  les  emprises  en  leurs  advsaires  quant 
aucuns  de  vosdiz  subgiez  les  treuvet  %  en  peuvent  avoir 
la  maistrise  j  pour  tant  que  ne  sont  que  poy  de  gens  en 
ung  vaissel  aucuns  tuent  \  murdrissent  cruelment  j  aulrs 
gettent  en  leaue  sanz  en  avoir  milicorde  ^  le  demourat 
desquelz  pour  leur  prouffit  ne  vuellet  preserver  la  mort  j 
prennent  lyent  1  mennet  avec  eulx  que  puis  raettent  ensi 
crueuses  horribles  \  estroittes  prisons  que  partie  deulx 
par  le  travail  que  on  leur  fait  en  grant  distresse  finissent 
leurs  jours  j  aulrs  qui  tant  de  mal  sueffi'ent  pour  escheuer 
la  mort  t  estre  allegiez  de  telz  tormens  se  mettent  a  si 
excessives  finances  que  eulx  ne  leurs  amis  jamaiz  ne  les 
pourroyent  payer  j  aussi  quant  par  non  povoir  faillent  de 
payer  aux  jours  que  ont  assignez  p  constrainte  1  force  de 
gehme  vos  diz  subgiez  par  derrision  les  mennet  en  lieux 
publiques  It  par  les  rues  devant  le  peuple  ou  les  mar- 
tirisent  It  tuent  inhumainemet  j  lequelz  quant  se  voyent 
si  agrevez  T:  pres  [de]  mort  pour  ensuiv  la  foy  Xpienne 
J:  en  bon  estat  de  leurs  consciences  partir  de  ceste 
monde  j  desirent  avoir  \  demadent  leurs  sacremens  j  par 
vosdiz  subgiez  leur  sont  deniez  ^  et  aceulx  qui  tneuret 
reffusee  la  ^upulture   de   rre   saintte   qui  est  cruieuse 
chose  a  oir  enr  Xpiens  j  aulrs  selons  quavons  sceu  ya 
qui  a  jamais  sont  impotens  %  par  estroiz  enferremens  *\ 
prison  ont  les  membres  pourris  j  ce  que  ne  Iroit  ainsi  fait 
de  Sarrasins  a  Xpiens  encor  ce  nous  fait  penser  que 
pleuseurs  y  sont  qui  par  «stroitte  prison  ne  pueulet  pdeca 


J44S.]  22  HENRY  VL  15 

denucier  leur  misere  j  dont  avons  si  grande  compassion 
alfcFe>[noz3  cuers  que  plus  ne  pourrionsy  meismemet  de 
oir  que  telles  gens  qui  ne  pcurent  quelque  mal  a  vosdiz 
subgiez  soyent  par  eulx  \  soubz  couleur  de  la  dte  paix 
ain^  murdrez  t  tiraiiisez  j  laquelle  paix  c5me  seble  de 
prime  face  iceulx  voz  subgiez  ont  pmise  seulement  a 
leur  avantage  pour  aulrs  decepvoir  j  lesquelles  choses  nre 
dit  souvain  seigneur  pres  tant  de  plaintes  a  cy  devant 
endurees  cuidant  tous  les  jours  que  y  pourveissies  ne 
aussi  encor  ne  povons  croire  que  soyent  ftes  de  vre  assent 
temet  ne  quen  ayez  congnoissance  j  car  trop  seroyent  a 
vre  desh5neur  si  les  congnoissies  t  tantost  ny  pour- 
?eyes  de  remede  «r  Aussi  sanz  esclande  \  p^judice  de 
nre  d  sourain  It  de  cest  [dit]  royaume  ne  les  pourrions 
plus  endurer  ne  telles  inhumanitez  sanz  offense  envs  iSre 
Cateur  laissier  passer  soubz  dissimulacon  j  veu  q  le  sang 
des  offensez  cdtinuelmet  nous  admonestr  1  crie  sanz 
cesser  aps  nous  vengence  sur  vosdiz  subgiez  qui  telles 
ihumanitez  leur  font  \  surceulx  qui  les  sueffirent.  Pource 
liault  \  puissant  Prince  pour  la  part  de  Hre  dit  souvain  } 
V0U8  requerons  \  prions  rsactes  de  nre  part  que  inc5tinet 
par  Garretier  Roy  Darmes  porteur  de  cestes  nous  vueillies 
^tiffier  si  lesdtes  choses  ont  este  ou  sont  ftes  de  \re  ^ceu 
1  assent  j  et  si  non  j  que  en  toute  celerite  le  veuellies 
monstrer  par  lappaissemet  de  ceux  depdeca  \  de  vosdiz 
subgiez  et  tellemen/  vous  plaise  y  brdonner  que  telz  inc5- 
venienc  cessent  en  mani7e  que  Dieu  It  nre  dit  souvain  en 
doyent  mte%\  nous  par  raison  en  doyons  estre  contens  j  X 
vre  dicte  response  sur  ce  nous  vueillies  faire  si  briefve 
ijue  dicelle  puissions  appaisier  ceulx  tie  cest  royaume  ou 
icelle  oye  ordonner  selon  que  Dieux  nous  conseillera. 
Nous  faites  pareillemet  savoir  voz  bona  vouloirs  \  plaisir^ 
desquelz  accomplir  ferons  nre  povoir  j  prions  au  Benoit 
filz  de  Dieu  hault  He*  quU  yous  doint  bonne  vie  1  longue 


16  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1443. 

t  tousjours  soit  garde  de  vous.    Escript  a  Westmonsr 
soubz  noz  signez  le  second  jour  de  Decembre. 

A  hault  It  puissant  prince        Les  gens  du  coseU  du  Roy 
le  Due  de  Bretaigne.       nre  souvain  seignr  estans  en 

son  royaume  Dengleterre. 


^ 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius,  B«  vi.  f.  48.  Original, 

Minutes  of  the  Council,  12th  December,  23  Hen.VI.  144S.  All  the 
interlineations  and  additions,  as  well  as  the  King's  answers,  are  in  the 
writing  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Council.] 

The  xij.  day  of Bangor  at  pe  Blak 

F  .  .  .  pnt  my  Lordf 


•  •  • 


Cantbury  Hunl 

Garderob  Staff 

Moleyns  Sudeley. 

Yif  it  like  unto  the  Kyng  j  it  is  thought  unto  my  lordes 
of  his  counsail^  that  considered  the  neigbnesse  of  blod 
that  my  Lord  Sir  Giles  of  Bretaigne  atteignetb  unto  the 
Kyng  and  )>at  in  his  tend?  age  he  hath  be  brought  up 
with  hym  ^  and  the  disposicon  that  ev  he  hath  hadde 
and  yit  hath,  to  that  that  hath  been  or  myght  in  any  wise 
be  to  the  Kynges  worship  honeur  and  proffit  and  of  his 
reaumes  and  subgittf  ^  and  also  that  he  is  comen  unto 
the  King  for  to  see  his  noble  estat  [and  to  pfr  him  h' 
^ce  J]  that  therfore  the  Kyng  of  his  good  wille  j  graunte 
yerely  unto  my  said  Lord  Sir  Giles  by  his  Ires  patentes 
undf  his  grete  seal  v  m^  marc  of  pension  ^  to  be  taken  at 
the  receite  of  his  eschequier  at  the  termes  qf  Estre  and 
of  Saint  Michel  by  even  porcons.^ 

1  A  pension  of  2,000  nobles  per  annum  was  granted  to  Giles  of 
Brittany  on  the  12th  December  141S.     VSde  Foederai  vol.  xit  p.  4$. 


144S.]  22  HENRY  VI.  I7 

Also  yif  it  like  unto  J?e  Kyng  j  it  is  J?ouglit  unto  my 
sai3  lordes  j  that  hou  be  it  that  of  Jje  g*unte  that  the 
Kyng  hath  maad  unto  him  of  m^  marc  j  the  ende  of 
this  terme  wol  not  finisshe  unto  Candelmesse  next 
comyng^  that  for  asmuche  as  he  is  now  on  his 
goyngy  that  he  have  his  paiement  for  this  terme  now 
in  hande. 

The K' wol  Also  yif  it  like  unto  the  Kyng,/  it  is  J?ought  unto 
coDoe^of  ™y  ^^^  lordf  that  he  have  of  the  Kyngf  gyft  now  at 
idiiLcmarS  his  goyngy  a  coppe  of  golden  and  suche  a  s5me  of 
\.  monnoie  as  shal  like  unto  the  K*. 

pjinne. 

The  K*  wol       Also  yif  it  shal  like  unto  the  King  j  it  is  thought 

y  he  We    ^jjj.^  jjjy  g^^  2^^^^  ^Ij^j.  j^ieyn  Lawe  oon  of  the  Dukf 

cscutf  ambassadeurs  of  Bretaigne  have  a  coppe  of  silver  over 
l^^yp® J*  *   8^'  ^^  *^^  price  of  xx.  marc  and  a  piece  of  damask. 

^'^^^^  Also  yif  it  like  unto  the  Kyng  y  it  is  thought  unto 

my  saide  lordf  of  his  counsail  j  that  as  touching  the  firste 
article  that  the  Due  of  Bretaigne  hath  writen  to  my 
Lord"  Sir  Giles  j  for  to  desire  and  shewe  hem  unto  the 
Kyng  as  touching  that  he  myght  be  a  mediatour  in  the 
matier  of  peas  1c.  That  it  be  answered  unto  the  said 
[Lord]  Sir  Giles  on  the  K*  behalf ./  that  )?o  Kyng  wol 

that  in  tho  manior  and [writen er 

befor  v^. upoii  }?e  which  wol 

abyde.] 

that  he  herbefore  hath  writen  unto  the  said 

Due  .  .  .  this  behalf  that  he  be  comprehended  1c.  * 

And  ther  as  the  Due  of  Bretaigne  by  the  secound 
article  of  the  said  articles  complaigneth  him  on  my  Lord 
of  So^  1c.    Yif  it  like  unto  the  Kyng  y  it  is  thought 


1  See  this  letter  in  p,  20,  postea, 
VOL.  VJ.  C 


18  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1445, 

unto  my  lordf  of  his  couDsail  j  that  a  Ire '  be  directed 
unto  my  said  Lord  of  Soms  and  that  yl  be  enclosed 
piinne  the  said  secound  article  j  and  )?at  the  Kyng  wol 
and  comaundeth  straitely  my  said  Lord  of  Soms  that  yif 
it  be  soo  as  mencon  is  maad  in  the  said  article  j  that  is  to 
say  J  that  he  have  doon  in  Bretaigne  any  attemptat  con- 
trarie  to  )>e  peas  finalle  [or  appointementz  betwix  )>e  K' 
reaumes  t  h"  lordshipes]  j  that  thenne  he  doo  make  and 
make  be  maad  pi  of  restituSon  and  reformacon  y  soo  that 
noo  ferther  inconvenience  falle  thorough  his  defaulte  in 
this  behalf^  that  God  defende.  And  that  furthermore 
from  hens  forthwarde  he  absteigne  hym  to  doo  any- 
thing pie  unto  the  hurte  and  prejudice  of  the  said  peas 
[or  appointementz]  as  that  he  wol  eschue  thinconveniencf 
J>at  pJupoSi  wolde  ensue  and  folowe. 

And  ^  forasmoche  as  )?*  )>e  Due  of  Bretaigne  wrote  ]>ees 
matiers  unto  my  "Lord  i  Gilles  h*  bropi  j  Y  J^®'*  answers 
be  yeven  to  my  said  Lord  i  Gilles  and  y  he  acertaine  h* 
bro}?3  of  }?e  K*  answer  to  he. 

llbid.  f.48b.  ISth  December,  22  Hen.VI.  144S.] 

The  xiij.  day  of  Decembr  J>e  xxij.  yer  1c.  in  J>e 
Bisshopf  Chambr  of  Bangor  at  J>e  Blafe  Freres^  being 
psent  my  Lord  of  Gloucestr  my  Lord  Chanceller  my 
Lord  of  Hunl  my  Lord  Sudeley  Garderober  1  Maistx 

W"  of  ^^^^  Moleyns. 

consail.  Maistr  Adam  Moleyns  Y  w*  all  )?e  matterf  above 
writen  was  yesterday  w*  J>e  K*  reported  unto  my  said 
lorde  fro  J?e  K^  that  )?e  K*  J?anked  J>eim  of  )>eir  labourf 


I  See  the  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset  in  a  subsequent  page. 
3  This  and  the  following  Minutes  of  the  13th  and  14th  December 
were  added  in  the  hand  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Council. 


1443.]  22  HENRY  VI.  19 

and  helde  ]>eir  advisementf  good  and  c5mandeth  J^eim  to 
be  don. 

Also  )>e  Warderober  )?at  was  send  to  my  Lord  the 
Cardinal  w^  alt  ]>abovesaid  matierf  reported  unto  my 
said  lordf  )>^  hi  semed  J^e  said  advisementz  goode. 

♦f.50b.     •  Chanceltr  Warderob  M*  Ada  Moleyns. 

Also  it  the  Kyng  by  )7advis  of  his my  Lord 

h'  Chauncelter  of  England  that  he tres  undr 

h'  gret  seal  of  licence  y  by  ]>e  whict  ....  psones  late 
Ivantz  to  )>e  Cardinal  of  Lexenbrougti  '\jc.  may  passe 
l>e  see  w*  iij^.  marc  over  ij*'.  li.  y  pei  have  of  pe  Kyngf 

gift. 

ISrid.  f.  50  b.  14th  December,  22  Hen.VL  1443.] 

The  xiiij.  day  of  Decebr  \>e  xxij.  yer  in  J>e  same  place  j 
pnt  my  Lordf 

of  Canrbury  chancefl^r  Glouc 

]fe  Warderob  Hunl 

M*  Adam  Moleyns  Staff 

Sudeley. 

Be  pi  maad  a  tre  to  ]>e  Due  of  Bretaigne  as  touching 
ye  matier  of  J>e  pees  after  )?answerf  late  gyveil  to  pe 
Dukf  ambassadeurs  of  Bretagne.* 

K  be  pi  maad  a  tre  upon  J>e  complainte  of  €  Gilles  of 
firetaigne  unto  my  Lord  of  Soms.^ 

>  Vide  the  next  page.  >  Vide  p.  22^  poisecu 


C  2 


20  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [HiS^ 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius,  B.  vi.  f.  52.  contemporary  MS. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  dated  17th  December, 

22  Hen.VL  1443.     Ftcfe  pp.  11  and  19,  on&o.] 

Depar  le  Roy. 

Tresch*r  \  tresame  cousin  ^  Depuis  que  nre  trescBir 
1  ame  cousin  Gilles  vre  fre  est  venu  pardeca  devs  nous  v 
il  nous  a  par  diverses  foiz  declaire  la  pfait  desir  q  avez 
de  vous  emploier  au  bn  du  paix  genial  entx  nous  \  nre 
adversaire  de  Fraunce^  duquel  vre  noble  It  effectueux 
vouloir  nous  vous  mcions  du  bon  du  cueur  tant  q  plus 
povons  J  car  en  ce  monde  riens  plus  volenlrs  ne  verrions 
fors  que  icelle  paix  y  puyst  estre  fermee^  Et  pour  ce 
nre  tresctir  1  tresame  cousin  desirous  que  vous  1  toutes 
autrs  princes  Catholiques  aiez  cognoissan  et  toudiz  en 
vre  bon  memoire  coment  feu  fire  trescBir  seigne*^  \  pere 
le  Roy  qui  Deux  absoille  tout  son  vivant  poursuy  le  bn 
de  la  dte  paix  de  toute  sa  puissan  j  et  nous  depuis  en 
ensuiant  ses  traches  avons  continuelmt  durant  fire  temps 
fait  samblablemt  j  car  toutesfoiz  q  [par]  fire  dit  adversair 
ou  par  autxs  icelle  matiJe  nous  a  este  ouvte  nous  y  avons 
entendu  efFcuelmt  en  envoiant  par  plufs  foiz  et  en  divs 
lieux  grans  seigne'^s  tresprochains  de  fire  sang  et  aurs 
notables  homes  de  fire  conseil  de  div's  estas  garniz  de 
povoir  souflBsant  po'  y  besoigfir  1  conclure  en  fire  nom  j 
non  mye  sanz  fire  bn  grosse  despense  ne  sans  grans 
travaulx  peines  \  laboures  de  noz  ditz  parens  vassaulx 
officrs  "X  serviteurs  j  et  na  pas  tenu  a  fire  part  que 
japieca  la  chose  nait  prins  bonne  fin.  Ce  non  obstant 
nous  voulons  tousjours  perseveramnt  continuer  en  fire 
ppos  davantdit  j  tant  pour  reverence  de  Dieu  le  tout 
puissant  fire  Benoit  Createur  vray  prince  \  directo'  du 
paix  J  coe  pour  eviter  leffusiofi  du  sang  humain  j  ensamble 
es  perilz  des  almes  du  peuple  Xpien  avec  les  autres  in 


I443.J  22  HENRY  VI.  21 

conveniens  qui  de  plus  en  plus  acroissent  "X  multiplient  a 
cause  de  la  longue  continuacion  des  dolereuses  guerres  j 
somes  It  #rons  tous  temps  ainsi  q  prince  Catholique  doit 
estre^  pretz  "X  apparaillez  de  entendre  au  bien  de  lad 
paix  par  tous  bons  t  raisonnables  moiens  j  It  frons  tsjoieux 
1  contens  q  besoigniez  t  c5me  mediate'  vous  emploie:": 
au  bien  delad  paix  j  sans  toutesvoies  en  forclore  ou 
debouter  autrs  qui  par  cy  devant  se  sont  offers  ou  qui 
cj  a^s  se  poroient  ofirir  devers  nous  a  eulx  j  emploier  j 
toutesvoies  se  aucunes  ouvtures  en  sont  ou  estoient 
fiiictes  devers  vous  depar  partie  advse  j  Nous  vous  prions 
rscbr  1  tresame  cousin  q  tous  temps  en  bonne  diligence 
les  nous  vouilliez  signifier  come  en  vous  avons  parfaicte 
confidence^  car  encores  depnt  nous  sommes  tout  con- 
duz  ^  deliberez  denvoier  bn  prochainement  en  Fran 
noz  notables  ambassadeurs  pour  le  fait  de  la  dte  paix  v 
lesquelez  vous  purront  plus  aulong  declairer  laffecion 
t  parfait  vouloir  que  avons  au  bn  dicelle^  et  se  la 
divine  mificorde  veult  estendr  sa  grace  que  paix  y  puist 
estre  trouvee  y  nous  ferons  que  y  serez  comprins  par 
bons  1  honnorables  termes.  Treschr  It  tresame  cousin 
se  aucune  chose  vous  plaist  que  puissons  signifiez  le 
nous  1  nous  lacomplirons  du  bon  du  cuer  tresvolenlrs. 
Ce  scet  le  Benoit  Filiz  de  Dieu  qui  vous  doint  sante  t 
joy  avec  tout  complissement  de  voz  nobles  desirs.  Donne 
soubz  nre  signet  en  nre  manoir  a  Shene  le  xvij.  jo^  de 
Decembr  Ian  xxij'^.  de  noz  regnes. 

A  nre  treschr  It  tresame  cousin 
le  Due  de  Bretaigne. 


} 


C  3 


22  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1445. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Julius,  B.  vi.  f.  50.  conitemporary  MS. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  lieutenant  and  captaio 
general  of  France,  respecting  the  affairs  of  Brittany,  dated  17th  De- 
cember, 22  Hen.VL  1443.     Vide  pp.  12  and  19,  ontei.] 

Depar  le  Roy. 

Tresch'r  \  tresame  cousin  j  De  la  partie  de  fire  tscfer 
\  rsame  cousin  le  Due  de  Bretaigne  nous  a  este  nagairs 
expose  par  iire  tresclir  \  ame  cousin  Gilles  son  fre^ 
coment  nonobstant  la  paix  final  a  la  quelle  fired  cousin 
le  Due  veult  adherer  j  et  nonobstans  aussi  certains  ap- 
pointems  par  nous  faiz  avecques  lui  pour  entretenir  paix 
amour  1  tranquillitee  enr  noz  re™*^"  pais  \  seigneuries 
tant  dune  parte  q  dautre  j  lesquelz  semblemt  ycellui  nre 
cousin  de  Brel  de  son  coste  desir  garder  et  observier 
sicome  il  dit  j  vous  a  g^t  puissance  de  gens  de  guerre 
estez  entre  en  son  pais  de  Bretaigne  It  y  avez  fait 
maulx  txsgrans  conr  la  tenur  de  la  paix  et  des  ap- 
pointemes  dev*ntdtes  4  en  enfreinnant  yceulx  directemt  j 
ainsi  que  plus  aplaine  est  declaire  en  certain  article  a 
nous  sur  ce  bailiee  par  esc^pt^  de  quel  vous  envoions 
la  copie  enclose  en  ces  pntz  j  lesquelles  choses  se  ainsi 
estoient  j  serroient  a  nre  bn  g^nt  desplaisance  ^  car  ceste 
nre  entencon  1  volente  que  la  paix  1  noz  appointemtz 
av*ntd  soient  entiermt  gardez  T:  observez  sans  enfraindr  j 
8i  vous  tnandons  \  le  plus  estroitemt  q  povons  vous  en- 
joignons  par  ces  pntz  q  tantot  ces  Tres  veuz  j  vous  repares 
"X  amendez  \  fees  reparer  \  amender  reaulmt  \  de  fait 
toutz  les  faultes  inconvenietz  1  domages  que  par  vous 
ou  voz  gens  sont  ou  auroient  estee  faiz  es  pais  \  f^ies 
de  iired  cousin  le  Due  de  Bre^  It  ou  prejudice  de  ses 
obeissans  subgiez  countr  la  tenur  de  la  paix  "X  des  ap- 
pointemetz  des#  deelarez./  Et  aveeqs  ce  gardez  sur  tant 
q  povez  mesprandr  envs  nous  j  que  par  vous  ne  par  les 


I44S.3  22  HENRY  VI.  23 

vrez  doresenavant  ne  soient  faiz  tielx  ou  semblez  exploiz  j 
dont  lesdiz  appoiDtementz  pourroient  estre  enfrainz  j 
car  inconvenientz  innumablez  £roient  taillez  den  ensuier 
ou  p^udice  de  la  chose  publique  q  Dieu  ne  veulle  j  Et 
ce  faitez  en  tielle  manier  q  nred  cousin  de  Brel  ne  autr 
nait  cause  den  faire  plantes  devers  nous.  Donn  soubz 
nre  signet  en  nre  manoir  a  Shene  le  xvij.  jour  de 
Decembr  Ian  xxij^.  de  noz  reignes. 

A  fire  tresc&r  1  tresame  cousin  le  Due  de  Somerset 
nre  lieuten  1  capitain  genial  en  iire  reaume  de 
Fraunce. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  vi.  f.  420.  Original. 

Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  13th  December,  22  Hen.  VI 

1448.] 

R.  H. '. 
The  Kyng  wol  y  for  suet  secreet  charge  as  )?*  he  wol 
y  my  Lord  of  Shrowesbury  doo  in  haste  v  })*  )>e  Tresorer  1 
Chamblains  upon  such  jewelx  1  goodf  of  y  Kyngf  as 
y  })eim  shal  seme  good  j  chevysshe  ]>e  s5me  of  ij  m^  marc 
\  deliv'e  it  unto  my  said  Lord  of  Shrowesbury  j  and  J>* 
herupoS  the  Keper  of  his  pVe  seal  do  make  his  tres 
undr  y  same  seal  to  )>e  Trei  1  Chambt  in  due  fourme. 

Dated  at  the  manoir  of  Shene  xiij'^.  December  xxij.  Henry  the 
sixte.2 

1  The  King's  autograph. 

2  In  a  modem  hand,  and  probably  from  the  indorsement,  the  article 
being  pasted  in  the  volume. 


C  4 


24  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1444- 

[Additional  MS.  4609.  art.  47-  a  modern  Tranter^ 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  26th  January,  22  Hen.VI.  1444.] 

Jt  ^  as  Tresorer  et  Chamberleins  T:c.  saluz  j  Nous 
volons  de  ladvis  de  iiotre  counsail  et  vous  mandons  que 
a  notre  treschier  et  bien  ame  Nichol  Husey  esquier 
liquel  Dous  envoions  presentemeut  en  notre  message  en 
Bretaigne  en  la  compaigne  de  notre  treschier  et  ame 
cousin  Giles  de  Bretaigne  vous  faces  paier  de  notre 
tresore  vynt  et  cinque  marcz  avoir  de  notre  regard  pour 
son  dit  alee  et  aussi  pour  son  retour  devers  nous  sur  la 
dit  message.     Don  Ic. 

{In  dorso.)  xx^j'".  die  Januar  anno  1c.  xxij****.  in  Camera 
Stellal  apud  Westm  Rex  de  avisamento  consilii  sui 
mandavit  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui  fieri  facere  litteras 
sub  eodem  sigillo  secundum  tenorem  superius  annotatum^ 
praesentibus  Archiepiscopo  Cantuar  cancellar  Anglian 
Comite  Suff  Dominis  de  Cromewei}  Sudeley  thes  et 
de  Dudley  ac  Mi^ro  Adam  Molejrns. 

Benet. 

llbid.  art.  46. 

Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  1st  February,  22  Hen.VI.  1444.] 

To  the  Kyng  our  souverain  lord. 

R«  H. 
Sheweth  unto  youre  highnesse  youre  humble  chap- 
pellain  Thomas  bisshop  of  Bath  ^  keper  of  youre  prive 
seal  that  for  as  moche  as  late  ago  it  liked  your  said 
highnesse  to  commande  him  with  other  to  go  in  your 
ambassad  into  youre  duchie  of  Guyenne  j  for  the  whiche 
cause  yere  bene   due  unto  him    ciiij"ix.  M.    as  more 


Thomas  fieckington.    The  Journal  of  his  Embassy  to  the  Count 
of  Armagniac  in  1442  has  been  published,  (8vo,  1828.) 


!♦*♦.]  22  HENRY  VI.  25 

plainely  it  appereth  in  your  escbequier  in  his  accompt 
made  upon  the  same  j  he  can  as  yit  have  no  paiement 
nor  assignement  j  to  his  grete  hurt  in  yat  partie.  Please 
it  uDto  your  noble  grace  to  give  in  commaundement  by 
your  graceux  letters  under  youre  prive  seal  unto  ye 
Chamberlein  of  North  Wales  yat  nowe  is  or  for  ye  tyme 
shall  be  ^  to  make  redy  paiement  unto  your  chapellain 
aforesaid  of  ciiij"ix.  li.  due  unto  him  for  the  cause 
abovesaid  of  ye  issues  prouffitz  and  revenues  comyng 
of  Northwales  ^  any  act  ordenaunce  restreint  commaun- 
dement or  assignement  made  or  to  be  made  to  ye  con- 
traire  notw*standyng  ^  youre  said  Chamberlein  recy vyng 
towards  him  letters  of  acquittance  suffisant  in  yis  partie 
by  ye  which  and  by  youre  said  letters  under  your  prive 
seal  he  may  have  due  allouance  in  his  accompt. 

Lettre   ent  feust   faite   a    Westm  le  primer  jour  de 
Feverer  Ian  'Ic.  xxij. 


\IiM.  art.  43. 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  8th  February,  22  Hen.VI.  1444.] 

To  the  King  my  soverain  lord. 

Sheweth  unto  your  highnesse  your  subgett  and  uncle 
Humfray  due  of  Gloucestre  j  where  that  the  King  your 
fadre  whom  God  assoille  y  by  his  lettres  patentes  bering 
date  the  xxiij*.  day  of  June  the  yere  of  his  reigne  the 
fourth  ^  graunted  to  your  said  oncle  the  constablerie  of  the 
castell  of  Dovorre  and  of  the  keping  of  the  v.  portes  j  to 
be  hadde  fro  the  xiij**^.  day  of  Octobre  thanne  last  past 
for  terme  of  your  said  uncles  life  as  hit  is  conteyned 
more  playn  in  the  said  letLres  patentes.^  and  how  that 
afore  this  gift  and  graunt  hit  was  do  to  understande  to 


26  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1444. 

the  King  your  said  fadre  that  there  were  many  defaltes 
as  well  in  the  houses  walles  enbatellings  church  steple 
wyndowes  glasse  and  other  biddings  within  the  said 
castell  J  as  of  vestements  bokys  and  ornamentys  of  the 
church  there  ^  and  alsoe  of  arms  armatures  bowes  arrowes 
arblasters  quarrells  and  other  artilleries  within  the  said 
castell  beyng^  for  the  which  as  well  the  Kyng  your  fader 
the  vj*^.  day  of  Novembre  the  vij**^.  yere  of  his  reigne  by 
his  Ires  patentes  j  as  ye  my  soveraine  lord  by  your  Ires 
paten tes  the  xxij*^,  day  of  May  the  thirde  yere  of  your 
reigne^  ordayned  your  sayd  uncle  to  surveye  all  such 
defaltes  and  theym  by  the  oversight  and  witnesse  of  his 
beloved  squyer  Geffrey  Louther  and  Symon  Spencer 
parson  of  the  chirche  of  the  said  castle  or  to  toon  of  hem 
for  tyme  to  come  j  as  hit  shold  be  necessarie  j  to  repaire 
and  amende  all  thing  and  as  hit  is  specifyed  in  the  said 
lettres  patentes. 

Please  your  highnesse  to  consider  these  premisses  and 
to  graunte  your  lettres  sufficiantz  undre  your  prive  seal 
direct  to  your  Tresorer  and  Barons  of  your  escheq'  com- 
maunding  hem  to  accompte  with  your  said  uncle  or  with 
a  persone  covenable  in  his  name  by  the  othe  of  that 
oon  or  of  that  othir  j  of  all  costes  and  expenses  which 
your  said  uncle  by  the  vieue  and  witnesse  aforesaid  hath 
doon  about  the  reparation  and  amendement^  aswell  of 
the  clocke  of  all  the  tyme  that  your  said  uncle  hath  be 
constable  there  of  the  said  castell  j  as  of  the  defaltes  and 
things  abovesaid  ^  makeing  him  due  allowance  by  the  said 
othe  of  all  things  specifyed  in  the  said  last  tres  patentes 
of  the  said  xxij.  day  of  May  the  said  thridde  yere  of  your 
seid  reigne  into  this  day^  and  that  the  said  Tresorer 
and  Barons  the  which  beth  now  or  which  for  the 
time  shall  be  j  by  vertue  and  force  of  your  said  lettres 


[1444.  22  HENRY  VI.  27 

of  your  privy  seal  may  have  playn  power  and  auctorite 
fro  tyme  to  tyme  and  fro  year  to  year  during  the  life  of 
jour  said  uncle  by  the  vieu  and  witness  aforesaid  or  of 
hem  that  for  the  tyme  shall  be  thereto  ordeyned  and 
depute  y  to  accompte  with  your  said  uncle  of  the  said  pre- 
misses in  fourme  aforesaid^  they  yeving  due  allowance 
thereof  to  your  seid  uncle  as  hit  is  afore  specifyed  and 
after  that  hit  hath  be  used  and  accustumed  of  old  tyme  ^ 
without  any  other  suit  theryn  and  for  that  cause  to  be 
made  unto  your  highness  by  your  said  uncle  in  tyme 
commyng  j  eny  act  ordenance  constitution  provision  or 
statute  of  laborers  and  contrary  thereof  made  notwyth- 
standing. 

Apud  Shene  viij®,  Febr  anno  1c.  xxij^ 

Aiidrewe. 

{In  dorso.)     To  the  Keper  of  our  Privy  Seal, 


lUrid.  art  45. 
ProceediDg  of  the  Council^  27th  February,  22  Hen.VI.  1444.] 

^  J  to  ye  Tresorer  and  Chamberleyns  \c.  greting  j 
For  asmoche  as  at  oure  desire  oure  rizt  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved  cousin  th'Erle  of  Shrowesbury  hath  graunted 
at  y*  tyme  to  do  us  service  of  werr  w*  a  certain  retenue 
in  oure  reaume  of  Fraunce  and  duchee  of  Normandie 
for  an  half  yere  j  so  yt  he  myzt  be  paied  of  us  in  hande 
of  ij™.  marc  of  ye  x™l  li.  the  whiche  herebefore  we  by 
oure  oyer  letters  under  oure  prive  seel  have  yeve  you 
in  commaundement  to  make  hym  yerof  assignement  ^ 
And  we  considering  ye  good  wille  y^  oure  said  cousin 
hath  at  y*  tyme  to  do  us  service  of  werf  j  wol  yerfor  and 


28  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [im. 

charge  you  y*  of  ye  said  x"*.  li.  ye  do  paie  unto  him  now 
in  hande  ij"^.  marc.     Yeven  Ttc. 

{In  darso.)     Rex  apud  manerium  suum  de  Shene  xxvij.  die 

Februarii   anno  1c.    xxij**®,   mandavit   Custodi  privati 

sigilli  sui  fieri  facere  litteras  sub  eodem  sigillo  Theset 

Camerariis  secundum  tenorem  superius  annotatum  ^  pne- 

senl  Domino  Archiepiscopo  Cantuarien  Rado  Domino 

de   Sudeley  txei  Angliae  ac  Magistro  Adam  Moleyns 

custode  privati  sigilli  tc 

Benet 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  P.  v.  f.  112.  Original  Minutes. 
Minutes  of  Council,  3rd  March,  22  Hen. VI.  1443.] 

The  iiij.  day  of  March  J>e  xxij.  yer  1c.  in  \>e  SterreS 
Chabr  at  Westm  j  pnt 

My  Lordf  of  Canrbury         \>e  Clerk  of  J>e  Rolles 
'pe  Bisshop  of  f  Assapli  The  Tref. 

pe  Warderober 

Pr  to  pe  Chaunceller  Ic.  gretyng  ^  Forasmoche  as  in 
p*  our  grete  necessitee  pe  moost  worshipful  fadr  in  God 
our  grete  uncle  pe  Cardinal  of  England  hath  graunted 
to  lene  unto  us  pe  some  of  ij*^.  marc  [unto  pe  feste  of 
Seint  Martin  in  wynter  next  comyng]  upon  pe  seuretee 
[for  h*  repaiemet  ]/? of]  of  ij.  ptes  of  our  riche  coler  [ye 
which  for  J)*  cause  we  have  maad  be  deliv^ed  unto  hij  j 
we  wol  pifor  by  l>advis  of  our  counsail  \  charge  you  J>* 
unto  pe  said  most  worshipful  fadr  in  God  ye  do  make 
our  tres  patentf  for  J^engaging  of  pe  said  ij.    ptes  as 


1  This  Minute  is  printed  in  the  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  55,   from  the 
original  writ  in  the  Pell  Office.     See  also  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  pp.  42,  56. 


KM]  22  HENRY  VL  29 

have  b»  [wer  late]  maad  unto  hi  in  cas  semlble  for  lenyng 
[uDto  us]  v^.  li.  of  monoie  1  receiving  our  jowoUoo  plfo? 
horhcFor  [J>Jfor  'pe  iij^.  pte  of  'pe  same  jewel.] 

Canibuiy  Be  tho  Mair  and  a  warrant  to  'pe  Tref  1  ChamM  Ic. 
^^  to  deliv^e  to  Henri  [of]  Conyngham  of  ScoUand  for  pe 
£  Wee  J>*  he  shal  do  unto  pe  K'  x.  li.  by  wey  of  reward, 

M'*'  to  make  warrant  unto  pe  Chanceller  of  Engt  to 
make  Rogger  Faukenberge  sherrief  of  Lincoliishir  for 
y  yer  j  and  for  to  receive  h*  ooth  a  dedim^  potestatem 
be  maad  to  {  Th  Comberwortb  knyzt 


[Additional  MS.  4600.  art.  44v   a  modem  Tramer^. 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  18th  March,  22  Hen.VL  1444.] 

To  ye  King  oure  souverain  lord. 

Plese  it  unto  youre  moost  noble  grace  to  graunt  your 
letters  under  youre  privie  seel  to  be  directed  to  S'  Robert 
Monter  clerc  of  your  hamper  after  th'effect  and  tenour 
of  a  ceduUe  to  this  bill  annexed  y  and  that  for  God  and  by 
way  of  charite. 

R.  H. 

Henry  by  ye  grace  of  God  T:c.  j  to  our  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved  S'  Robert  Monter  clerc  of  oure  hamper  greting  j 
We  wol  and  charge  you  that  ye  deliver  unto  oure  wel- 
beloved  the  Provost  and  soolers  of  oure  College  of  Oure 
Lady  and  Saint  Nicholas  nowe  late  founded  by  us  in 
oure  Universite  of  Cambrigg  or  to  her  deputees  or 
attournez  j  alle  ye  letters  patentz  seeled  or  to  be  seeled 
under  oure  greet  seel  and  writtes  nowe  being  or  to 
be  in  your  keping  in  oure  said  hamper  from  tyme  to 


30  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL.,  [1444-5. 

tyrae  j  which  patentz  and  writtes  conceme  or  shall 
concerne  oure  said  college  in  eny  wise  j  and  yat  frely 
w*oute  fyne  or  fee  grete  or  small  or  eny  other  thing  to 
be  had  or  asked  for  ye  said  patentz  and  writtes  j  whereof 
we  wol  that  yees  oure  letters  be  unto  you  suffisant  war- 
rant and  discharge.     Yeven  \c. 

Lettre  ent  feust  fte  a  Westm  le  xviij.  jour  de  Mars 
Ian  Ttc.  xxij^^ 


Acta  de  Anno  Vicesimo  tertio. 

[Additional  MS.  4609*  art.  74.   a  modern  Tramcripi. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  14th  January,  2S  Hen.  VI.  1445.3 

R  au  Chaunceller  saluz  j  Come  nous  de  lavis  de  notre 
counsail  eons  donnez  et  grauntez  conge  et  licence  et  par 
cestes  presentes  donons  et  grauntons  conge  et  licence  a 
noz  bien  amez  Christopfer  de  Poges  et  Austin  de  la 
Robbe  merchantz  de  Jene  et  au  Petr  de  Saint  John 
burgez  de  Bruges  en  Flandres  et  a  chescun  de  eux^ 
qils  purront  fair  estre  amesnez  et  conduittz  a  eux  et  a 
chescun  de  eux  en  yceste  notre  royaume  d'Engleterre 
deux  grandez  tables  des  diamandes  et  deux  meindres 
et  iiij,  graund  rubies  et  iiij.  saphirs  et  dousze  perles^ 
pur  mesmes  les  diamandes  rubies  saphirs  et  perles  sils 
puissent  vendr  en  yceste  notre  royaume  j  et  si  elles  ne 
soient  venduz  qalors  bien  lirra  a  eux  de  les  .envoir 
hors  diceste  notre  royaume  vers  queux  parties  que  lour 
plerra  j  saunz  paier  a  nous  ou  a  notre  oeps  aucune  cus- 
tume  subside  ou  devoir  a  nous  due  pur  lappoitee  dicelles 
piers  en  notre  dit  roiaume  ou  pur  lenvoie  hors  dicelle  v 
et  saunz  disturbance  ou  empechement  de  nous  noz 
officers  et  ministres.     Pui-veu  toutesvoies  que  si  mesmes 


1445.]  23  HENRY  VI.  31 

les  pieiTS  soient  venduz  en  ceste  notre  roiaume  d'En- 
gleterre  que  nous  soions  bien  et  loialment  paiez  et 
responduz  des  custumes  subside  et  devoirs  en  ceste 
partie  duez  j  et  que  a  la  primer  apporte  dicelles  pierres 
CD  yceste  notre  royaume  elles  soient  venez  et  de-  Sic. 
stniiees  par  noz  officers  j  et  en  cas  quelles  soient  rap- 
portees  hors  de  mesme  notre  royaume  qelles  soient 
aussi  rendres  et  destruiees  par  noz  officers  j  si  mandons 
que  sur  ce  vous  facez  fair  noz  lettres  patentes  dessoubz 
notre  graund  seal  en  due  fourme  adurers  par  deux  ans 
prochein  avenier.    Donne  T:c. 

(In  darso,)     The  xiiij.  day  of  Januer  the  xxiij^yere  1c  in  the 

Sterre  Chambf  at  Westm  the  King  by  th'advis  of  his 

counsail  comaunded  ye  Keper  of  his  prive  seel  to  do 

make  letters  undre  ye  same  seal  after  ye  tenure  withinne 

writen  ^   present  my  Lords  the  Chaunceller  and  Tre- 

sorer  of  England  the  Viscount  Beaumont  the  Prive  Seal 

and  opu 

T.  Kent 

llbid.  art  90. 
Petition  to  the  Eling,  with  the  Answer,  Slat  January,  23  Hen. VI.  144i5.] 

To  the  King  our  soveraign  lord. 

Sheweth  unto  your  byghness  youre  pouer  chapeleyn 
Willyam  Cleve  clerk  of  your  werks  that  late  of  newe 
hath  made  by  your  commaundment  at  your  Tour  of 
London  a  kecben  with  al  other  maner  of  offices  with 
loggings  thereto  belonging  and  a  new  draght  bryggey 
and  as  yit  receyved  never  in  money  xl.  S.j  and  now 
late  there  is  appoynted  by  your  counsail  to  make  in  all 
hast  possible  for  the  plesir  of  your  highness  and  neces- 
sarie  resort  of  straungers  to  come  in  likely  hast  to  your 
manoir  of  Eltham  j  for  a  new  halle  with  squiilery  saucery 
and  survey ng  place  j  al  of  newe  and  reformacon  honour 


32  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1445- 

able  for  the  Queens  loggyng  thereas  j  now  desolated  j  and 
at  Shene  the  waterbrigge  the  grete  quadrangle  with  a 
yatehouse  all  of  new  to  be  made  for  necessary  logging 
of  your  worshipfuU  household  with  closer  of  brike  toured 
aboute  your  gardein  there  ^  and  at  Westm  the  Grete 
Chamboure  for  your  graciouse  persone  and  the  Quenes 
logging  with  the  Parlement  Chambre  and  Peynted 
Chambre  with  reformation  of  your  condwyts  there  and 
ordinance  for  the  scafiald  to  be  made  in  Westm  Chirche 
for  the  estate  of  the  coronation  ^  please  it  therefore 
your  highnesse  to  commaunde  your  Tresorer  to  deliver 
onward  for  purvyance  and  hasty  expedition  of  the  neces- 
sitees  forsaide  unto  your  said  clerk  good  assignment  of 
a  m^  ti«  4  to  be  received  of  the  first  payment  of  the  dismes 
granted  unto  your  highness  by  the  clergy  j  and  he  thereof 
to  answer  you  in  his  account  byfore  your  barons  in  your 
eschekir^  consideryng  that  the  said  Willyam  hath  and 
most  payne  hym  for  to  purvey  money  the  mene  v^  marc 
or  more  to  pay  wekely  pouer  workemen  laborers  stuflT 
and  cariage  to  Goddys  plesir  and  profit  as  hit  shall 
appere  by  Gods  grace  for  Gods  love  and  for  pite  of  your 
said  places. 

Lre  ent  feust  fait  a  Westm  le  xxxj.  jour  de  Januer  Ian 
\c.  vynt  et  tierce. 

\md.  art.  76. 

Proceeding  of  the  Council,  1st  February,  28  Hen.  VI.  144^.     Vide 
Rot.  Pari.  vol.  v.  pp.  73,  74 ;  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  53.] 

The  first  day  of  Feverer  the  xxiij.  yere  1tc.y  to  the 
King  in  his  Secree  Chambre  at  Westm  4  being  psent  my 
Lord  of  Gloucestre  and  my  Lordes  the  Cardinal  of  Yorke 
Tharchbisshop  of  Caunterbury  the  Due  of  Excestre  the 
Bisshops   of  Saint  Assaph   Norwich   Saresbury  and  of 


1M50  23  HENRY  VI.  33 

BasLtti  prive  seal  and  the  Marqueis  of  Dors  Therle  of 
Stafibrd  the  Lords  Cromwell  Sudeley  tresorer  and  Dud- 
ley  S'  John  Stourton  kn*  and  Maister  Adam  Moleyns 
dean  de  Saresbury^  my  Lord  of  Suff  sayde  in  maner  as 
foUoweth. 

Sir  yif  it  like  unto  your  highnesse  I  suppose  that  ye 

have  in  good  remembraunce  hou  that  I  have  hadde  grete 

knowleche  amonges  the  parties  of  your  adversaires  in 

France  as  in  being  prisonni  amonges  theim  and  have 

hadde  long  conversacon  w*  the  Due  of  Orleaunce  at  all 

such  times  as  that  I  was  his  keep  j  for  the  which  causes 

saving   thoffence   of  yo'   highness  j    me  semeth  it  not 

according  that  I  be  send  now  in  thambassade  that  is 

spoken  of  to  goo  into  Fraunce^  and  specially  for  the 

nominacon  that  your  adversairs  amonges  others  made  of 

me  for  to  be  sent  and  come  in  the  said  ambassade  j  and 

therefore  as  humbly  as  I  can  and  may  I  beseche  your 

said  highnesse  that  some  other  persone  such  as  shall  like 

unto  you  may  be  sent  in  the  said  ambassade  and  that  it 

like  your  said  highness  to  hold  me  excused  thereof^  Be- 

seching  you  that  ye  wol  at  all  times  have  such  conceit  of 

me  that  I  ne  can   nother  never  shall   eulogne  nother 

strange  me  in  this  said  ambassade  nother  in  any  other 

thing  from  thaccomplissement  of  your  heigh  commaund- 

mentj  hou  be  it  that  as  I  am  enfourmed  langaige  is  sowen 

upon  me  in  London  of  thees  consideracons  before  re- 

hersed  sith  my  going  is  opened  among  the  people.  And  on 

the  other  side  I  have  seye  that  Iprdes  of  grete  auctoritee 

and  estat  have  laboured  by  your  heigh  commaundment 

and  desire  in  semble  ambassade  for  the  wele  of  peas  j  the 

which  with  grete  wysdames  and  providence  executed  as 

treuly  as  thei  coude  or  might  the  charge  to  theim  leid  in 

semble  wise  as  it  is  now  leyde  upon  me  j  the  which  knowe 

my  selfe  full  fer  from  their  conduycts  and  circuinspectons  j 

VOL.  VI.  D 


34  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1445. 

and  for  all  that  yit  nevertheless  the  people  of  the  land 
have  noysed  hem  and  God  knoweth  in  parlem*'  and  elles 
where  full  hewyly  to  their  gret  charge  and  burdon  in  all  4 
in  all  that  that  in  theim  was  j  the  which  and  they  so  dyd 
of  me  it  were  to  hevy  to  me  to  here  seyng  their  estatz 
and  thestat  that  I  am  of. 

To  the  which  my  said  Lord  of  Suf f  my  L**  Chaunceller 
by  the  Kings  high  commaundm^  and  desire  and  at  the 
desire  of  all  the  other  lords  before  writen  ^  said  that  the 
King  willed  and  desired  him  to  goe  in  the  said  ambassade 
and  that  such  charge  as  that  he  wold  ley  upon  him  that 
he  receive  it  take  it  and  execute  it  j  and  than  my  said 
Lord  of  Suff  besought  the  Kings  highnesse  that  sith  it 
luste  him  not  to  have  hym  discharged  of  the  said  ambas- 
sade but  fynally  to  commaund  hym  to  goe  thereinne  j  that 
seyng  the  grete  weight  of  the  said  matier  of  ambassade 
he  might  be  accompaigned  with  sad  and  circumspect 
men  for  the  good  of  the  said  matier  and  with  such  as 
can  wol  and  may  here  with  him  for  the  Kings  worship  j  so 
that  the  partie  advse  may  se  that  though  ye  send  at  this 
time  but  men  of  esye  degree  and  few  in  nombre  yit  that 
thei   have   discretion    convenable  with   theim   for   such 
matiers  as  thei  be  send  for  j  that  he  putting  him  in  his 
devoir  in  the  said  matier  of  ambassade  though  that  the 
matier  achieve  not  j  that  God  forbid  j  in  such  wise  as  is 
desired  and  trusted  that  it  shall  j  that  therefore  noe  charge 
be  laid  upon  him  nother  that  he  therefore  ronne  into  any 
daunger  or  hevynesse  of  the   King  nor  on  any  other 
behalfe  nor  wise  j  but  that  he  may  stand  alway  in  the 
Kings  good  conceit   and   grace.    Whereupon  the  King 
advised   by  my  lords   of  his   councill   aboveseid    com- 
maunded  my  Lord  Chauncell'  to  say  on  his  behalfe  to 
my  said  Lord  of  Suff  ^z  that  he  putting  him  in  his  devoir 
in  the  said  matier  of  ambassade  as  he  trusteth  that  he 


1445.]  23  HENRY  VI.  35 

j 

wol  y  though  that  the  matier  achieve  not  j  that  God  for- 
bidde  j  in  such  wise  as  is  desired  and  trusted  that  it  shall  j 
that  therefore  no  charge  be  leyd  by  him  his  heires  coun- 
cell"  oflBc"  nor  noon  of  his  people  upon  my  said  Lord  of 
Suff  his  heires  nor  execut'*  in  tyme  commyng  j  nay  upon  i 

any  persone  goeing  in  the  said  ambassade  j  nether  that 
therefore  he  renne  into  any  daunger  or  hevynesse  of  hym 
nor  on  any  other  behalfe  nor  wyse  j  and  wol  that  in  this  i 

behalf  stand  in  his  good  conceit  and  grace.  And  further- 
more the  King  willed  him  and  commaunded  such  charge  | 
as  he  wold  lay  upon  him  that  he  shold  receive  it  take  it 
and  execute  it.  And  my  said  Lord  of  Suff  thanked  the 
King  on  this  behalfe  and  said  he  would  obeie  his  com* 
maundment  j  desiring  of  his  highnesse  that  hereupon  he 
might  have  his  gracious  Tres  patents  .^  the  which  the 
King  graunted  unto  him  and  commaunded  the  Keeper 
of  his  prive  seal  to  do  make  warrant  undre  the  same  seal 
unto  the  Chauncell''  of  England  commaunding  him  to  do 
make  be  maad  hereupon  his  tres  patents  undre  his  grete 

seal  in  due  fourme. 

Benet. 

llbid,  art.  100. 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  3rd  February,  23  Hen. VI.  1445.] 

To  the  King  our  soverain  lord. 

Bysecheth  louly  youre  humble  and  pouer  servant 
Richard  Jordan  keper  of  your  selers  within  your  castle  of 
Wyndsore./  at  the  manoir  in  the  pare  at  Esthampted^  and 
at  Henley  on  the  Heth  •/  that  in  consideracon  of  the  long 
and  continuel  labours  and  grete  attendaunces  that  he  hath 
hadde  yerely  and  daily  in  keping  of  your  seid  celers  j 
hit  please  you  in  his  age  to  graunt  unto  him  a  livere  of 
mete  and  drink  to  be  taken  in  your  worshipfull  houshold 
dailli  at  suche  tyme  as  ye  or  your  household  shall  lye 

P  2 


38  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  I:i44s5. 

[Ibid,  art.  79. 

Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  14th  March,  23  Hen. VI.  14?4^. 
Sir  Andrew  Ogard,  the  petitioner,  was  naturalized  by  parliament  in 
1433.     Vide  Rot.  Pari.  vol.  iv.  p.  439.] 

To  the  Kyng  oure  souverain  lord. 
Besecheth  mekely  youre  humble  liege  Andrew  Ogard 
knight  J  that  where  as  by  succession  yere  is  fallen  unto 
him  in  ye  reaume  of  Denmark  where  he  is  born  and  in 
oyere  places  of  ye  King  of  Denmarks  obeissance  j  certaine 
lifloode  and  landes  and  oyer  goods  meubles  ^  plese  hit 
your  highnesse  to  shewe  unto  youre  saide  liege  y*  he  may 
have  knowlache  yf  it  bee  ye  good  plesour  of  your  ex- 
cellence y*  he  joysse  ye  saide  enherytance  and  oyer  goods 
and  yeruppon  send  into  the  said  reaume  of  Denmark  and 
oyer  places  his  procurours  for  him  w*  sufBsant  pour  to 
obteine  possession  and  joyssance  of  the  said  enheritance 
and  oyer  goods  and  to  doo  the  services  and  duetez  re- 
quired yerupon  j  after  ye  lawes  of  ye  cuntrees  j  whiche 
ying  how  be  hit  ye  saide  Kinge  of  Denmark  is  of  your 
alliance  j  yit  ye  saide  besecher  wol  not  in  noo  wise  at- 
tempte  nor  doo  hit  withouten  your  gracius  licence  in  yat 
partie.  Wherfore  youre  saide  liege  besecheth  lowly  youre 
noble  grace  y*  hit  plese  youre  highnesse  to  commande 
youre  letters  undre  youre  prive  seel  directed  to  youre 
Chanceller  of  Englande  commandyng  to  seel  and  doo 
make  out  your  letters  under  your  greet  seel  of  licence  to  ye 
sayde  besecher  for  ye  matier  above  rehersed  j  and  he  shall 
pray  to  God  for  your  moost  excellent  estat  and  welfare* 

{In  dorso.)  In  palatio  suo  Westm  xiiij.  die  Marcii  anno  1c» 
xxiij.  Rex  concessit  banc  supplicationem  ut  petitur 
mandavitq,  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui  fieri  mandare 
litteras  sub  eodem  sigillo  1c.  j  prsesentibus  Dominis 
Cancelt  Thes  Episcopo  Bathon. 

T.  Kent. 


1445.]  23  HENRY  VI.  39 

lllnd.  art.  89. 
Ph>ceeding  of  the  Council,  25th  May,  23  Hen. VI.  1445.] 

Hbnri  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Charaberleins  of  oure 
eschequier  greting  j  For  as  moche  as  we  have  bought  of 
y'executours  of  the  Lord  Fanhop  late  passed  to  God 
ij.  nouches  which  draw  to  v.  c.  and  xl.  li.  we  wol  yerfore 
by  yadvis  of  oure  counsail  and  charge  you  yat  unto  ye 
saide  executour  ye  make  aggrement  and  contenting  of 
the  some  of  v.  c.  xL  li.  above  saide.  And  furthermore  for 
divers  causes  moevyng  us  j  we  wol  by  yadvis  abovesaid 
and  charge  you  yat  unto  oure  welbeloved  squier  John 
Merston  tresorer  of  oure  chambr  and  keper  of  oure 
Jewell  ye  deliver  ye  saide  nouches.  Morover  that  ye 
content  th* Abbot  of  Seint  Albons  of  c.  li.  for  cercle  of 
X.  ouches  of  golde  sette  with  greet  perle  baleys  and 
saphurs  which  was  leyde  to  him  and  opl  to  wed  •  .  .  and 
deliver  ye  same  cercle  to  oure  saide  squier.  Over  this  we 
wol  also  yat  unto  ye  same  oure  squier  ye  deliver  a  Jorge 
which  was  late  bought  of  Will  Estfelde  knyght.  Yeven 
1c.  at  WesUn  ye  xxv.  day  of  May  the  yere  1c.  xxiij. 

Apud  Westm  in  Camera  Consilii  tempore  parUamenti 
die  et  anno  suprascripZ  Rex  de  avisamento  consilii  sui 
mandavit  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui  fieri  mandare  litteras 
sub  eodem  sigillo  secundum  formam  superius  annotal  4 
praesentibus  Dominis  Cane  Thes  Cardinal  Ebor  Epis 
Norwic  Elien  Ducibus  Exon  Buck  Cromwell  tc. 

T.  Kent. 


D  4 


40  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1^*6 

Acta  de  Anno  Vicesimo  quarto. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  £.  iii.  f.  90  a.  eantemporary  MS. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  John  Bredon,  a  priest  at  Coventry,  dated 
14th  March,  24  Hen. VI.  1446.  This  and  the  two  following  articles 
occur  on  the  same  paper.] 

Trusty  and  welbeloved^/  For  asmuche  as  ye  knowe 
wel  we  were  late  enfourmed  that  ye  shuld  have  now 
late  openly  preched  and  affermed  ctain  opinions  in  our 
citee  of  Coventr  sownyng  ayenst  both  Godf  lawe  and 
ourf  J  by  the  pching  of  pe  which  opinions  ye  ded  J)at 
J>at  in  you  was  to  have  stured  and  moeved  \>e  people  of 
our  said  citee  other  wise  J>an  wel  j  wherof  might  have 
growe  inconveniencf  j  which  we  willing  to  avoide  j  wol 
and  charge  you  streitely  J^at  anon  af  r  ^e  sight  of  J^ees  j 
att  excusacons  ceesing  j  ye  departe  oute  of  our  said  citee 
of  Coventr  and  goo  to  J>e  Ministr  Provincial  of  your  order 
or  to  his  vicar  j  and  be  ruled  and  demened  as  we  write 
unto  hun  in  )>is  behalf.  And  we  wol  )>at  ye  leve  not  J^is 
on  pe  feith  and  ligeance  J^at  ye  owe  unto  us  and  as 
ye  wol  eschue  our  grevous  indignacon.  Yeven  tc.  at 
Westm  ]>e  xiiij.  day  of  March  J>e  xxiiij.  yer  1c. 


To  Frer  Jotn  Bredon  frer  mino 
of  the  covent  of  Coventre. 


'} 


J^IbieL  Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Minister  Provincial  of  the  Friars 
Minors  in  England,  respecting  John  Bredon,  a  member  of  that 
fraternity,  14th  March,  24  Hen. VI.  1446.] 

By  ^e  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  asmuch  as  we  wer  late 
enformed  tat  Frer  John  Bredon  frer  minour  in  J?e 
convent  of  our  cite  of  Coventr  shuld  have  now  late 
[openly]  pched  and  affermed  ctain  opinions  in  our  said 
citee  sownyng  agenst  both  Godf  lawe   and  ourf./    by 


1446.]  24  HENRY  VI-  41 

^  pchiDg  and  affirmacon  of  'pe  which  opinions  he  deed 
]nt  yat  in  him  was  to  have  stured  and  moeved  pe  people 
of  our  said  cite  other  wise  'pen  wel  and  agenst  pe  laudable 
custumes  herebefore  had  and  used  in  our  cathedral 
chirch  pie  ^  pe  which  in  p^  p2Lt  in  us  is  we  wol  and  owe 
to  manteine  and  susteine  for  asmuch  as  [we J  beth  ))eir 
sovain  lord  and  patroil  and  for  asmuch  as  we  wold  have 
aUe  our  subgittes  to  lyve  in  rest  and  pees  afr  Godf  lawe 
and  ourf  and  no  ))ing  to  be  shewed  or  pched  unto  ]>eim 
but  ])at  ]>at  might  sowne  to  good  and  be  to  reste  and 
wele  of  our  people.  And  also  for  asmuch  as  pe  said  Frer 
Jofin  hath  openly  pched  as  it  is  abovesaid^  we  wol  pjfore 
and  charge  you  straitely  J?at  aRoon  aft  pe  sight  of  }?ees  j 
alt  ofl  ]>ingf  left  and  excusacons  ceesing^  ye  remoeve  pe 
said  Frer  John  from  pe  said  convent  of  our  said  cite  of 
Coventr  unto  som  op?  convet  of  your  ordr  xl.  or  1.  mile 
pens  or  more  j  and  J^at  ye  charge  him  from  hens  forward 
not  to  come  at  our  said  cite  ne  to  pche  of  pe  said 
opinions  in  any  place.  And  we  wol  J^at  in  no  wise  ye 
leva  ]ns  as  ye  wol  eschue  our  grevouse  indignacon. 
Yeveii  ^c.  ut  sup\ 

To  Frer  Thomas  Radnor  ministr  pvincial  of  pe  Frer 
Menores  in  ]7is  our  reaume  of  England  or  to  his 
vicair  having  power  in  his  absence. 


[Ibid.  Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayor,  bailifiis,  and  inhabitants  of 
Coventry,  respecting  John  Bredon,  the  priest  mentioned  in  the  pre- 
ceding documents,  dated  14th  March,  24*  Hen. VI.  1446.] 

By  the  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved^  For  asmuch  as  we  wer  late 

enfourmed  J>at  Frer  John   Bredon   frer  menour  in  pe 

convent   of  our  cite   of  Coventr  shuld  have  now  late 

pched  and  afFermed  ctaine  opinions   in  our  said  citee 


42  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1446. 

sownyng  agenst  both  Godf  lawe  and  ours  j  wherof  we 
beth  evel  cotente  yif  it  be  so  4  of  J?e  which  opinions  J« 
said  Frer  hath  pmissed  and  is  sworen  to  make  revocacon 
[and  renunciacon]  aft  ]7e  tenur  of  a  cedule  endentyd 
tripartite  y  )?e  on  remaynyng  toward  us  in  J?e  of&ce  of 
our  prive  seaL  the  other  toward  ]7e  said  Priour  and  [J>e] 
convent  of  ]7e  same  place  4  and  })e  J?rid  towardf  J?e  said 
Frer  of  ]7e  which  we  send  [youj  a  copie  closed  withinne 
J?ese  by  our  welbeloved  fvant  Ric  George  sergeant  of 
armes  it  is  conteigned  more  at  large.  And  for  asmoch 
as  it  is  gretely  nedeful  and  spedefull  for  })e  good  of  alt 
holy  chirche  us  and  our  people  revocacon  of  all  unlawful 
opinions  be  shewed  Jjer  and  unto  such  psones  as  J>ey  have 
be  pched  unto  herebefore^  the  said  Frer  hatt  pJfore 
in  c5maundement  of  us  by  J?advys  of  J?e  lordf  sperituel 
and  terapell  in  l)is  oure  psent  plement  to  go  to  our  said 
cite  and  ]>ere  openly  to  sey  in  Jje  pulpit  in  ]7e  parish 
chirches  of  our  said  citee  ori  day  festival  or  ij.  J>e  next 
festival  dayes  J>at  he  fshalj  come  to  our  said  citee 
before  alt  J>e  people  J?en  being  in  J?e  same  j  aft  )>e  tyme 
of  })e  offering  accustumed  p?  y  so  J>at  J?ey  may  here  hit  at 
J?e  tyme  of  ]>e  higfi  masse  in  ]>e  same  chircli^  alt  ]?at  J>at 
is  conteigned  in  J>e  same  cedule  and  neip?  more  neip? 
lasses  and  yif  J?at  he  do  it  not  or  refuse  it  to  do  or 
wold  say  o]>?  more  or  lasse  or  eny  J?ing  J>at  migM 
tourne  to  J?e  comocon  of  our  people  J?at  ]>en  ye  Mayre 
comitte  him  [J^erfore]  to  p*son^  J??e  to  abyde  unto  }>e 
tyme  J?at  we  geve  you  other  in  cdmaundement  4  and  J>atye 
our  said  Mair  8tifie  us  in  alle  goodly  haste  what  J?at  ye 
do  hereinne  j  and  we  wol  J>at  in  no  wise  ye  leve  }ris. 

Yeven  tc.  ut  sup*. 

To  }>e  Mair  bailiffs  and  worthy  men 
of  our  cite  of  Coventr. 


1446.3  24  HENRY  VI.  '  43 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  £•  iii.  f.9L  apparently  the  Original. 

Statement  of  John  Bredon,  a  friar  minor  of  Coventry.  No  date  occurs 
to  this  article,  but  it  evidently  relates  to  the  affair  noticed  in  the 
preceding  letters.] 

Hit  is  not  unknowen  that  where  the  Priour  &nd  covent 
of  the  chirche  cathedral  of  Oure  Lady  Seynt  Marye  of 
this  citee  of  Coventre  psoas  and  pprietaries  of  the  parissb 
chirches  of  the  same  and  their  predecessours  have  had 
posseded  and  used  to  have  as  in  right  of  the  said  chirche 
of  ty me  that  no  mynde  of  man  is  the  contrarye  j  that 
what   psone  dye  witl&in   this  said  citee  suburbes  and 
hamelettes  of  the  same  j  hath  beeii  first  brougM  to  the 
said  cathedral  chirche  witb  apparaille  of  wex  y  there  to 
abide  tylle  the  masse  and  othir  observance  to  Cristen 
people  pteynyng  be  complete  and  had  j  the  corps  therof 
then  to  be  beryed  outher  at  the  same  cathedral  chirche 
or  elles  at  oon  of  the  parisshchirches  or  chircheyarde 
where  the  psone  of  the  deed  corps  was  convsaunt  j  or 
there  where  in  his  lif  he  chase  his  sepulture^  the  said 
apparaille  of  wex  remaynyng  witb  the  said  cathedral 
chirche  to  the  use  of  the  same  j  whicl&  title  and  possession 
is  good  als  welle  by  the  lawe   spuaB  as  by  the  lawe 
temporal  j  I  Frere  Jotln  Bredofi  frere  minour  of  the 
covente  of  the  same  citee  in  the  tyme  of  the  Holy  Ad- 
vent of  Oure  Lorde  last  passed^  in  the  parisshchirches 
of  this  same  citee  j  ayens  the  said  custom  and  title  as 
oure  sov^ain  lorde  the  Kyng  and  the  lordes  spuatt  and 
temporal  been  acerted^  oponly  preched  and  afiermed 
that  alle  mani  offerynges  oweii  to  be  yeveii  alonely  to 
theyme  that  mynistreii  the  sacramentes  to  the  pisshens  v 
also   that  neither  the   Pope   ne  alle   the    worlde  may 


V 


14  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [l^MS. 

compelle  eny  man  to  offerr  eny  thing  in  the  said 
cathedral  chirche  j  also  that  neither  the  Pope  ne  alle 
the  worlde  may  make  but  that  a  fre  man  in  his  last 
wille  may  dispose  the  lightes  pteynyng  to  his  corps 
where  soever  he  wille  j  and  so  that  I  inducyng  the 
pjsshens  of  the  said  parisshchirches  to  execute  my 
purpose  bad  that  they  shulde  boldely  here  the  ligbtes 
of  the  corpses  fro  that  tyme  forward  to  their  parissh- 
chirche  or  whither  they  elles  wolde  j  notwithstondyng 
eny  contrarie  use  j  pmittyng  my  self  to  defende  theyme 
that  so  didi/  seiyng  that  in  Englond  was  not  so  bonde 
a  citee  as  this  citee  of  Coventre  is  in  kepyng  and 
observyng  the  said  custom  and  promittyng  my  self  to 
make  this  same  citee  free  v  so  that  the  said  Priour  and 
cSvente  shuld  not  prevaile  to  have  the  said  custom  j 
which  sayng  might  cause  the  people  to  turne  their  hertys 
fro  the  said  Priour  and  cSvente  and  fro  observyng  the 
said  lawfuH  custom  ^  and  also  that  I  said  that  in  Englond 
was  not  so  covettous  a  place  as  was  the  priorye  of 
Coventre  y  also  that  I  impugnyng  the  said  custom  by 
anothir  unlawful  meaK  said  and  affermed  that  eny  cus- 
tom howe  long  so  ev  hit  be  thowe  hit  be  of  a  c,  yeres  j 
if  hit  be  in  pjudice  of  coe  wele  it  is  unlawfully  and  that 
the  said  custom  is  in  p|judice  of  coe  good  because  hit 
is  pljudicial  to  the  parisshchirches  of  Holy  Trinite  and 
Seynt  MichelJ  of  Coventre  j  and  therfbre  that  hit  is  un- 
lawfull  J  also  that  I  seid  that  alonely  they  that  mynistren 
the  sacramentes  and  mynistren  aboute  the  corpses  as 
vicairs  and  parissbprestes  shuld  have  the  obvenciones  and 
profites  of  the  corpses  and  not  the  monke  of  the  priorye 
whicb  may  not  mynistre  the  sacramentes  j  also  that  I 
in  my  billes  that  I  made  to  be  set  upon  the  chirche 
dores  in  this  said  citee  promysed  to  delyv^  the  people  of 


1*46.]  24  HENRY  VI.  45 

this  same  citee  fro  the  thraldom  of  Pharao  v  the  whict 
sownyth  ayenst  the  said  cathedral  chirche  and  the 
laufuB  custom  of  the  same.  In  alle  thise  premisses  by 
the  lordes  spualt  and  temporal  by  the  c5maundement 
of  oure  said  sovain  lorde  the  Kyng  duely  examyned  is 
founden  matier  upon  the  whicR  miglit  sue  grete  incon- 
veniences ayens  the  lawes  of  God  of  the  chirche  and  of 
oure  said  sovain  lorde  j  and  also  pjudicialt  to  the  said 
Priour  and  covent  j  wherfore  I  the  same  frere  if  I 
meynteyne  or  justifie  the  said  unlaufult  opynions  or  any 
of  theyme  or  who  so  ev  soo  doo  been  worthy  to  be  sore 
punysshed  and  chastised  by  the  lawe  of  the  chirche  j  and 
therfore  as  ferre  as  I  have  suche  mattiers  or  opynions 
affermed  preched  or  taught  I  the  same  frere  revoke  and 
renounce  theyme  and  yche  of  theyme  y  prayng  and  ex- 
hortyng  you  that  yee  gif  neither  faithe  ne  credence  to 
theyme  ne  execute  theyme  in  eny  wise.  Wherfore  I 
nowe  wele  avysed  and  moeved  therto  in  conscience  ex- 
horte  and  pray  you  to  kepe  and  observe  the  said  laudable 
custom  in  puttyng  away  and  eschewyng  hurt  and  offence 
of  conscience  and  also  avoydyng  punyssbment  due  to 
alle  theyme  that  doon  contrarye  to  the  same  custoin  for 
als  muche  as  hit  is  a  custume  c5mendable  and  so  owyng 
to  be  kept  and  observed  to  encrese  of  mede  by  pleasire 
made  to  Almighty  God  who  graunte  you  and  me  to 
lif  in  this  worlde  aftir  juste  lawes  and  laufult  customs 
vertuously  4  soo  that  we  may  deserve  to  rejoyse  h  evenly 
recompense  evlastyngly  4  Amen. 


46  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [144^. 

[BibK  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  vi.  f.  303.  cantemparafy  MS.  on  parchment ' 

probably  the  OrigindL 

Instructions  issued  to  the  Commissioners  appointed  to  borrow  money 
in  the  counties  of  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Essex,  and  Herts,  dated 
20th  July,  g^th  Hen.  VI.  1446.] 

Credence  cSmitted  by  the  King  our  souvain  lord  unto 
his  trusty  and  welbeloved  Whalesby 

Gilbt  Parr  and  to  either  of  J?eim  for  to  shewe 
and  declar  on  his  behalf  to  such  psones  spueS 
and  tempell  dwelling  within  ]?e  shirf  of  Norff 
Suff  Essex  Hertford  as  ]?eim  seme  good  for 
monney  to  be  had  and  lent  to  ^e  King. 

First  the  said  comissioners  after  due  greting  shal  ley 
afore  hem  Jje  good  inclinacon  ]>at  J>e  Kingf  uncle  of 
Fraunce  hath  to  J?e  pees  as  it  apperett  by  writing 
sending  of  ambassadeurs  and  otherwise  j  ]7e  which  pees 
also  }?e  King  Rtely  desireth  for  ]>e  wele  ]>at  shal  enseue 
Iplot  to  his  reaumes  and  subgittf  and  to  alle  Xpendoai 
in  eschewing  ]>e  incoveniencf  Jjat  might  folow  of  J?e  con- 
trarie  j  J>e  costes  also  chargf  and  expenses  by  his  subgittf 
and  people  of  long  tyme  borri  by  cause  of  werr  and  J>at 
sholde  of  necessite  be  borri  yif  it  shuld  continue  j  that 
God  forbede. 

For  the  which  pees  not  only  by  the  King  and  his 
said  uncle  but  also  by  al  Cristendome  gretly  desired^ 
both  the  King  and  his  said  uncle  be  condescended  and 
appointed  to  psonel  convencon  in  the  reaume  of 
Fraunce  where  for  the  said  cause  the  King  hath  pro- 
mitted  and  wol  be  in  psone  by  the  grace  of  God  in 
Octobre  next  c5myng  ^  soo  that  it  shal  not  stande  by 
hym  nor  by  the  labour  of  his  owne  psone  j  the  which  his 
hieghnesse  spareth  not  j  but  by  Goddf  grace  the  said 
pees  shal  be  had  and  concluded. 


1446.]  24  HENRY  VL  47 

For  the  whicl&  his  going  the  King  knowet^  wel  that 
their  gret  wisdomes  and  discrecons  canne  and  may  wel 
conceyve  that  it  wol  be  unto  hym  right  chargefuff  and 
also  to  the  lordf  of  his  blode  and  other  whic&  ben  ap- 
pointed to  goo  with  hym  j  not  only  in  levyng  of  their 
wagf  but  also  in  jubardie  of  their  psones  more  precious 
than  any  good  ^  and  yit  neyther  witft  this  nether  with 
the  tresore  that  he  hath  in  hande  the  King  is  furnesshed 
nor  purveied  of  good  soufficient  for  such  charg^'  as  in  th 
said  viage  for  pees  he  most  necessarely  here.  And  ther- 
fore  the  said  c5missaires  shal  entrete  the  bisshopps  and 
al  thabbottf  priours  denes  archidaikones  and  thrifty 
persones  in  the  shirf  of  Norff  Suff  Essex  and  Hertford 
and  desire  of  hem  that  they  wol  paye  their  hoole  disme 
nowe  in  hande  graunted  in  the  last  c5vocacon  ^  and  yif 
thay  wol  not  [do]  soo^  then  they  shal  entrete  hem  to  paye 
nowe  in  hande  the  oon  half  of  the  said  disme  4  and  yif 
thay  wol  not  do  that  ^  J'an  the  said  c5missaires  shal  en- 
trete hem  to  lene  such  good  as  that  they  shal  mowe 
goodly  gete  of  hem  uppon  assignement  of  their  owne 
dismes. 

And  in  semhle  wise  the  said  c5missaires  shal  entrete 
a9  the  good  citees  towneshipps  knyghtf  squiers  and 
thrifty  men  dwelling  withinne  the  abovesaid  shires  to 
lene  asmoch  money  as  thay  shal  mowe  goodely  geete  of 
hem  J  taking  for  their  suretee  of  repaiement  J??of  good  and 
soufficeant  assignement  of  tho  last  pts  of  th3  quinsiame 
-and  disme  grauntod  in  tho  lact  plomcnt  such  grauntes 
as  have  be  maad  unto  \q  Kyng  in  ]>e  last  plement 
or  ro^ve  except  ]>e  first  pt  of  ]>e  said .  grauntes  paiable 
at  Martynmasse  next  comyng. 

And  U^fore]  the  King  trusting  in  the  kindenesse  of 
his  trewe  lovyng  and  welewilling  subgittf  whom  he  hath 


48  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1446. 

founde  redy  at  al  tymes  in  al  his  necessitees  j  desiretb 
and  p^'yeth  therfore  hertely  the  said  psones  spuettf  and 
tempefff  and  evict  of  theim  as  they  love  and  tendre  the 
good  of  the  sayd  pees  and  the  worship  welfare  and 
suretee  of  his  psone  and  also  of  his  landf  lordshipps  and 
subgittf  J  that  they  wol  shew  unto  him  in  this  his  grettest 
necessitees  their  affeccon  and  good  good  wille  j  the  said 
psones  spueH  in  payeng  nowe  in  hand  their  disraes  or 
lenyng  as  above  j  and  the  said  psones  tempeB  in  easing 
him  by  way  of  appst  undre  soufficeant  assignement  as 
above  of  sucfi  somes  as  shal  be  desired  of  evict!  of  theim 
by  the  said  comissioners  j  wherein  they  shal  do  the  King 
singler  plesire  where  thorugh  the  King  wol  can  theim 
right  good  thanke  and  shewe  unto  theim  his  gracious 
favoures  in  such  thingf  as  they  shal  have  to  dooii  witt 
him  in  tyrae  to  come  j  and  that  the  said  some  of  monoye 
evict  of  theim  wol  send  it  into  the  receite  of  [thej  Kingf 
eschequier  by  such  a  psone  or  psones  as  he  trustetb  on 
in  all  goodly  haste  j  and  at  the  ferrest  by  the  morowe  of 
the  fest  of  Saint  Michel  next  comyng^  there  for  to  deliv^e 
it  to  the  Tresorer  of  England  or  to  such  psone  or  psones 
as  he  wol  depute  to  receyve  it  j  taking  at  that  tyme  for 
their  repaiement  therof  y  sufficeant  assignement  by  auc- 
torite  of  parlement  of  suet  grauntf  as  have  be  maad  unto 
hym  nowe  in  the  last  parlement  as  above. 

And  the  King  wol  and  chargett  the  said  c5missaires 
that  such  s5mes  of  monoy  as  [shal]  in  this  behalf  be  paied 
and  borowed  j  that  they  make  therof  a  bylle  endented 
betwix  theim  and  the  paier  and  lener  ^  in  the  whict  shaL 
be  specified  the  s5me  that  shal  be  paied  and  lened  and 
the  day  whan  it  shal  be  brought  into  the  Kingf  re- 
ceyte  j  and  that  suet  billes  be  sent  into  the  said  receite 
at  the  lest  before  the  said  fest  of  Saint  Michel  next 
comyng. 


1446.]  24  HENRY  VI.  4,9 

And  forasmoc!i  as  the  King  is  not  fully  enfourmed 
whicfi  of  his  subgittf  may  paye  and  lene  as  above  j  the 
King  sendetti  therfore  unto  his  said  cdmissaires  tres  undre 
his  prive  seal  after  the  tenur  hereto  annexed  with  blanc 
tailless  the  which  tres  the  King  wol  that  they  directe  hem 
to  such  psones  citees  and  towneshipps  as  that  theim  shal 
seme  good  j  and  write  in  the  tailles  of  the  same  tres  the 
names  of  the  persones  that  they  shal  be  directed  unto  j 
and  so  delive  hem  to  the  said  persones. 

A^  xxiiij*^  H.  vj«. 


[A  separate  article  from  the  preceding  ;  but  it  may  originally  have 
been  written  on  the  same  parchment.  Writ  to  the  persons  to  whom 
the  said  Commissioners  were  to  apply.  3 

Teusty  and  welbeloved  4  Forasmuch  as  in  ctaine  ma- 
tiers  that  gretely  touchin  and  concerneii  J?e  good  wele 
and  worship  of  us  our  landf  lordships  and  subgittf  we 
have  willed  our  c5missaires  berers  herof  to  comune  w* 
you  J  we  wol  desir  and  pray  you  therfore  htely  J?at  in 
such  Jnngf  as  J?at  J?ey  or  any  of  ]7eim  wol  shewe  declar 
and  sey  unto  you  on  our  behalf  ye  wol  yeve  unto  hem 
and  to  ech  of  hem  ful  feith  and  credence  4  and  we  pray 
you  )?at  ye  leve  not  Jris  as  ye  wol  ]7e  good  wele  and 
worship  above  saide.  Ye  veil  under  our  prive  seal  at 
Westm  }>e  xx.  day  of  Juyl.     A*'  1c.  xxiiij*^ 


VOL.  VI.  E 


50  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1446. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  123.  Original  Minutes. 
Minutes  of  the  Council,  .  .  .  July,  24  Hen. VI.  1446.] 

M'^  y^  ]>e  Mair  T;  aldremen  of  London  complaigne  he 
upoii  pe  grete  imposicons  y  beth  putte  nf  on  ))e  poeple  of 
London  )>*  is  to  sey. 

Up  of!  [by]  pe  wolle  pakkers  J>*  take  [ferme  y  office 
for]  xlviij.  ti.  by  yer. 

Upon  [by]  J?e  ganger  ]?*  taketl^  iiij.  d.  for  J?e  gauging 
of  evy  ton  It  many  op?  1c. 

Upon  [by  ]7e]  wyn  drawers. 

Upon  [by]  J^occupacon  of  garbeling  j  the  which 
stS^  [abovesaid*  psones]  ferme  ]7eir  officf  to  men  of 
litell  haveour  1  valeur  to  J>e  grete  charge  of  ]>e  poeple 
\  hurto  to 

Sir  John  Also  pei   seyeii  }>*  at  Blanke   Chapelton  pi  is   maad 

Steward  to^  pkef  [sev^aU  placf]  to  pleye  at  J?e  fee»ey8-balle  ^  at  pe 

cleche  j  at  J?e  dys ./  1  also  J?I  is  used  ]73e  as  is  [used] 
at  J?e  stewes  betwix  men  1  w5raeii ./  and  also  y  pei  use 
courtf  1c.  \  seintwarye  into  ]>e  hurte  T:  pjudice  of  J?e  citee. 

Also  J?ei  in  Seint  Martyns  wol  not  soufFr  \>e  strang?s  in 
Seint  Martyns  to  paie  \>e  imposicons  y  )>ei  sholde  paie  by 
auctoritee  of  parlemet. 

Also  J?ei  ssy  complaigne  of  a  man  of  Bredstret  y  was 
take  into  J?e  Towr  as  y  he  walked  on  J>e  warf  ]7?e  j  and 
on  y  was  not  worth  iiij.  d.  ^ntred  a  plain te  upofi  hi  of 
iiij®.  marc  j  so  y  but  yif  he  had  be  plegged  oute  pe 
hastier  it  [1  delived  oute  of  p*sone]  by  J?e  mene  of  my 
Lord  of  Glouc  j  it  [had]  be  lyke  J?'  he  shold  have  be 
condempned  in  iiJj^  marc  by  pe  artifiSs  dwelling  in  pe 
Towre. 

Comisf  of  pees         (  Jofen  Steward         Lokwode 
MortiiSs  bille. 


14460  24  HENRY  VI.  51 

•  ^'  126.  *  )?Q  convonoon  []>e  K']  to  be  bctwix  fat]  Maunt  [T: 
his  uncle  at]  Melant  at  po  K*  comyng  at  a  day  to  ];& 
KMxeyiftj  at  pe  K'  arrivaitt  to  sende  h*  ambassadeurs 
to  mete  w^  )>oinbaa9adouro  of  h'   undo  at  a   [h*  uncle 

for  )i»  |>ei  to  appointe  J?e  day  of  pe  con- 

vencon  \  pe  place. 


Uvisa- 
Dtntu  dn( 


In  cas  -^  JSr*  of  J?e  prorogacon  from  aff  Halowentyde 
unto  Marcty  the  K'  wol  be  ]^e  to  holde  an  incon- 
vencon  betwix  Maunt  It  Melant  [on  J?e  river]  at  such 
day  1;  place  as  shal  be  appointed  j  wherfor  anofi  J?e  K* 
upon  h*  arrivailt  vA  wol  sende  to  h^  said  uncle  h''  am- 
bassadeurs. 

•  f.  126  b-  •  The  Kyng  wol  y  h"  Ires  undr  his  pVe  seal  be  directed 
to  i  Th  Stanley  to  carie  1  do  to  be  caried  by  land  1  by 
water  Eiianer  Cobham  *  in  ]7isle  of  Man  j  and  pie  y  he 
rule  her  as  he  hatli  yeve  him  in  c5mandemet. 

K  he  wol  J>*  aJt  )>oo  psones  ]?*  had  wagf  fees  or  officf 
for  rme  of  lyf  of  J>e  graunte  of  })e  Due  of  Warrewyk  ]?* 
ded  is  J  y  J>ei  have  Ires  of  confirmacon  plof  undr  his  gret 
seal  during  J?e  meindr  age  of  Anne  douzter  1  heir  to  J>e 
said  Due. 

II  he  wol  y  my  Lord  of  Chichestr  kep  of  his  pVe  seal 
1  |>e  Barori  of  Dudley  whom  he  sendeth  now  in  h"  am- 
bassade  into  Fraunce  unto  h'  uncle  of  Fraunce  have 
wagf  according  to  }>eir  estatf  for  iij.  monethes  ^  to  be 
paied  of  such  monoies  as  remaigne  in  J?e  Clerc  of  pe 
Hanapes  handf  for  po  dolivanof  of  h*  receitf  in  J?e  hanapie 
by  force  \  vertue  of  his  office. 


I  On  the  26th  October,  22  Hen. VI.  1443,  she  was  ordered  to  be 
conveyed  from  the  castle  of  Chester  to  Kenilworth.  Vide  Foedera, 
vol.  xi.  p.  45. 

E  2 

\ 


52  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [144^ 

n  he  wol  }>*  i  RicR  Wydeville  whom  he  hatfi  sende  in 
h"  message  ij.  tymes  to  Caleys  \  hatli  retourned!  ayen  to 
him  have  by  wey  of  reward  c.  ti.  for  h*  laboures  costf  \ 
expen  ^  1  J)*  on  alt]7e  above  J^ingf  tres  undr  h'  p've  seal  be 
maad  in  due  fourme. 

•  •  .  •  T:  )?!upoS  a  tro  to  f  Tlk  of  -Stanloo of  my 

Lord  of  Warp  of  )roim  y  haft  Sine  of  lyf  wogf  for  iiji 
monothoBs — Rio  Widoyillo  ij.  at  Caloya. 


llbid.  f.  127.  19th  July.  24  Hen. VI.  1446.] 

The  xix.  day  of  Juyl  J>e  xxiiij.  yer  1c.  at  Westm  in  J?e 
Sterr  Chamber. 

The  Cai-di-        I*  is  advised  Y  Miohel  by  my  Lordf  ]7e  Chaunceller  \ 
nal  of  York;  guff  \  Pye  Seal  Y  Michel  de  Parys  I>e  K*  secretarie  shal 

Chkhestf'^  ^   ^^^^  ^^^  ^^'  being  her  seth  Cristemasse  \  for  h"  going  hom 

now  in  ]7e  Kyngf  message  1.  marc. 


llbid.  20th  July,  24  Hen.VI.  1446.] 

The  XX.  day 

£jjQj  Be  })?  maad  Ires  directed  to  M*  Robt  Monter    clerc 

Cant  of  J>e  hanap  to  paie  to  J?e  Bisshop  of  Chichestr  kep  of  Jtc 

Chichestf.  pi^g  gg^i  c^  ^Q  j^Ym  lord  Dud 

pdons  usq,  xv*.  Martini  j  Blassevile  xl.  marc  v  xxxiij.  tL 

♦  f.  127  b.       *  My  lordf  counsail  of  York  j  y  is  to  sey  ^  Scales 
*  Oldehall 

It  is  answered  to  he  Y  )?e  K*  entent  Y  ™y  Lord  of 
YorK  have  cc.  speres  w*  J?e  bowes  1  to  endente  at  Michel- 
masse  1  have  paiement  in  hande  for  iij.  monethes^  "X  afP 
Y  from  moneth  to  monetR  Y  is  to  sey  for  J>e  saj<f 
iVj.  monethes  after  J?e  wagf  of  England  \  for  ]>e  second 


1446.]  24  HENRY  VI.  53 

quart  after  \>e  wagf  of  Fraunce  v  and  y  retenue  to  be 
redy  warnyng  ]?*  shal  be  maad  to  my  said  Lord. 

Hou  many  shippf  shal  be  ordeined  for  J?e  K'  goyng. 

And  ayenst  what  tyme. 

And  wheder  J>ei  shal  come. 

M^*  y  shippf  be  put  undr  arrest  for  ]>e  K'  goyng  j 
and  y  it  be  writen  to  my  Lord  Tref  to  wite  of  ^e  K* 
hou  many  j  wheder  )>ei  shal  come  j  and  ayenst  what 
tyme. 

My  Lord  of  Chichestr  1  J)e  Lord  Dudley  J)e  K'  am- 
bassadeurs  shal  have  J>eir  wagf  for  iij.  monethes  j  by  way 
of  reward .;  1  xx.  ti.  for  J?eir  shipping. 

Thinstruccon  was  rad  1  passed. 

Thombft  Gartier  to  go  w'  J^embassadeurs  "l  a  p'^suy- 
vant. 

Thambassadeurs  shal  have  fres  w*  he  to  ]>e  K*  uncle 
1  [to]  dpi  T;  also  }>*  J?ei  have  Ires  of  famuliaritee  to  aff  ]>e 
cappitaignes  in  Nor^®. 

XX.  }L  for  shipping. 

1 128.      *  Gartier  shal  have  for  ]?*  goyng  as  he  had  last  and 
Coler  shal  have  x.  marc  as  he  hath  had  befor. 

The  bisshopf  T:  abbotf  [p'ourf  archedeaknes]  to  be 
treted  to  paie  \>e  dismes  befor  j  and  J)*  ]fei  in  semble  wyse 
trete  J?eir  clergie  and  [vj.  iiy..]  ctain  men  to  be  deputed 
}>^to .;  1  also  to  make  chevissance  j  'X  p  her  up  on  and  to 
make  tho  ass  assignement  of  \>e  second  graunte  in  ]>e 
plement  j  and  her-  for  y  to  be  don  p]  most  be  conceived 
a  good  instruccon  to  J?e  vj.  psones. 

K  my  Lord  Chauncettr  seide  to  J>erle  of  Ormond  J?at 
]>e  Kyng  had  comaunded  Tt  charged  him  to  comaunde  J^e 

E   3 


51  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1446. 

same  [Erie]  after  ]>e  teno^  of  a  cedule  whcrof  J>*  J>e  K* 
sende  unto  hi^  wherof  J>e  teneur  is  such  as  folowett 
[and  so  he  charged  J?e  same  Erie.] 

M^'  y  J?erle  of  Ormond  be  comaunded  upon  peine  of 
his  h'geance  and  forfaitur  of  alt  yat  he  may  forfaite  to  )>e 
Kyng  J  y  he  passe  not  xl.  myles  aboute  London  j  but  yif 
it  be  to  J?e  pilgrimages  of  Caunrbury  j  til  he  have 
opiwyse  in  comandement  of  \>e  Kyng  j  and  to  be  redy  to 
answer  afor  J?e  Kyng  and  his  counsail  by  due  1  resonable 
warnyng^  the  which  comandement  J?e  said  Erie  seyde 
y  he  wolde  obeie  ^  1  so  he  swor  it  j  and  p'yed  my  lordf 
of  J?e  Kyngf  cosail  to  have  it  exemplified  undr  h"  pVe 
seal  J  the  which  was  granted  to  him. 

A  gtestacon  of  my  Lord  PVe  Seal  ^Gismi  [instruct]  for 

Wfc. 

*  f.  128  b.  *  Also  my  Lord  P*ve  Seal  asked  J?e  Sherriefs  of  London 
y  now  be  j  yif  y  J?ei  asked  any  scuage  of  )>e  Janneys  but 
for  y  yer. 

And  pei  said  nay. 

He  asked  he  also  <»  what  as  ]>ei  supposed  was  due  unto 
he  for  \>e  tyme  Y  J?ei  had  be  sherriefs  j  and  ]>ei  seyde  pei 
knewe  not  for  ctain. 


llbid.  f.  129.  22Dd  July,  24  Hen.VI.  1446.] 

The  xxij.  day  of  Jul  at  my  Lord  Card  placf  of  York  ^ 
it  was  comanded  by  him  J?e  M'ques  of  Dors  \  pe  Fve  Seal 
y  Michel  ds  Parys  secretair  shold  have  of  reward  for  h* 
going  now  w*  J>embassedeurs  x.  marc. 


144^6.]  25  HENRY  VI.  05 

Acta  de  Anno  Vicesimo  quinto. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.  230.    OrigindL 

Writ  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  19th  October,  25  Hen.VI.  1446. 
The  appeal  to  which  this  and  some  of  the  following  articles  relate  is 
thus  noticed  in  Stow's  Chronicle  by  Howes,  p.  385:  '<  John  David 
appeached  his  master  William  Catur,  an  armurer  dwelling  in 
S.  Duustons  parish  in  Fleet  Street,  of  treason,  and  a  day  being 
assigned  them  to  fight  in  Smithfield,  the  master  being  welbeloved, 
was  so  cherished  by  his  friends,  and  plied  so  with  wine,  that  being 
therewith  overcome  was  also  unluckily  slain  by  his  servant ;  but  that 
false  servant  (for  he  falsely  accused  his  master)  lived  not  long 
unpunished,  for  he  was  after  hanged  at  Tyborne  for  felony."  See 
also  Fabian's  Chronicle,  edition  1811,  p.  618;  and  Hall's  Chronicle, 
edition  1809,  p.  207.] 

By  the  King. 

Reverend  fader  in  God  rigbt  trusty  and  welbeloved  .; 
For  asmoche  as  John  Davy  hath  nowe  late  appelled 
before  the  Constable  and  Marschal  of  this  oure  reaume 
of  Englande  oon  William  Catour  of  London  armurer  of 
traison  ymagyned  \  doon  by  hym  ayeinst  oure  persone  j 
for  which  cause  the  said  Constable  and  Marschal  have 
by  thassent  of  bothe  parties  assigned  a  day  of  bataille 
unto  theyro  as  lawe  wol  j  we  therfore  wol  and  charge 
you  that  under  our  prive  seel  being  in  yo^  warde  ye  do 
make  oure  Ires  of  warrant  in  deue  fo^me  directed  unto 
oure  welbeloved  squier  John  Stanley  sergeant  of  our 
armuryy  charging  hym  to  do  make  and  ordeigne  in  al 
goodly  haste  good  and  souffisant  armure  for  the  said 
appellant  and  al  other  barneys  and  wapen  necessary  unto 
hym  in  that  behalve.  And  over  this  we  wol  that  under 
our  said  pVe  seel  ye  do  make  oure  other  Ires  sev^elles  in 
deue  fo*^me  directed  unto  f  John  Steward  f  John  Astley 
knightf  Edmond  Hampden  and  Thomas  Montgomory 
squiers  and  to  Thomas  Parker  armurer^  to  be  intendant 

E  4 


56  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1446. 

and  of  conseil  with  the  said  appellants  and  semblable 

Ires  unto  f  Thomas  Gray  i  Robert  Shotesbroke  knyglitf 

John    Lovett  T;  John   Sharppe    squiers  It   to   Harman 

armurer  dwelling  in  Southwerk  j  to  be  intendant  and  of 

conseil  with  the  said  partie  defendant  as  the  cas   re- 

quireth,/  and  thees  oure  tres  shal  be  your  warrant.    Yeven 

under  our  signet  at  our  castel  of  Wyndesore  the  xix.  day 

of  Octobr  the  yere  of  our  regne  xxv. 

W.  Crosby. 


[Bib].  Cotton.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.23].    OrigitwL 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Philip  Trefaer,  fishmonger,  of  London,  dated 

16th  November,  25  Hen.VL  1446.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  asmocb  as  Jolin  Davy 
hatfe  nowe  late  appelled  before  pe  Conestable  and 
Marshall:  of  pis  our  reaume  oon  Willia  Catour  of  Lon- 
don armurer^  of  treson  ymagined  and  doon  ayenste 
oure  psone^  for  whiche  cause  J>e  said  Conestable  and 
Marshall  have  by  J^assent  of  bothe  pties  assigned  unto 
]?eira  a  day  of  bataylle  as  lawe  wol  j  we  plfore  wol  and 
charge  you  J?at  ^e  be  intendaunt  and  of  counsailt  witli 
J)e  said  John  Davy  appellant./  and  ]>ees  our  Ires  shalt 
be  youre  warrant.     Yeven  at  Westm  J?e  xvj.  day  of  No- 

vembr. 

To  Phelip  fysshemonger. 

{In  dorso.)     xvj.  day  of  Nov  ....  1c,  xxv^°.  it  was  .... 

Ye  lordes  of  J?e  c  .  .  .  tres  shulde  be  dir Philip 

fysshemon to    entende   and  ....  wi]>  Johan 

Davy  after  ))e  forme  .  •  .  .  writeS. 


1446.]  25  HENRY  VI.  57 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.  231.  Original. 

Letter  from    the  King  to  Master  Hugh   Payne  and  John  Latimer, 

14th  December,  25  Hen.VI.  1446.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  asmoche  as  John  Davy 
hat&  no  we  late  appeled  before  ]>e  Conestable  and  Mar- 
shal of  this  oure  reaume  of  Englande  oon  William 
Catouf  of  London  armurer^  of  treson  ymagined  and 
doon  ayenste  oure  psone  j  for  whiche  cause  pe  said  Con- 
stable and  Marshalt  have  by  })assent  of  bothe  pties 
assigned  unto  ])eim  a  day  of  bataylt  as  lawe  wol^  we 
wol  ])]fore  and  charge  you  ])at  ye  be  inten daunt  and 
of  counsaiK  with  pe  said  William  Catour  defendant  as  pe 
cas  requireth  j  and  J)ees  our  Ires  shal  be  your  warrant. 
Yeven  at  Westm  pe  xiiij.  day  of  Decembr. 

To  MaisP  Hugh  Payne. 

To  John  Latemer. 


(In  dorso.)  xiiij®.  day  of  .  .  .  anno  1c.  xxv*®.  it  was 
lordes  of  pe  counsail  ....  se^alles  shulde  be  . 
persones 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  C  i.  f.  231.  Original  draught. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of  Ormond,  about  November  or 
December,  25  Hen.VI.  14-46.  **  Thomaa  Fitz  Thomas,  prior  of 
Kilmaincy  appeached  Sir  James  Butler  earl  of  Ormond  of  treasons, 
which  had  a  day  assigned  to  fight  in  Sraithfield ;  the  lists  were 
made,  and  the  field  prepared ;  but  when  it  came  to  the  point,  the 
King  commanded  they  should  not  fight,  and  took  the  quarrel  into 
his  hands,  which  was  done  at  the  instance  of  certain  preachers  and 
doctors  of  London,  as  Master  Gilbert  Worthington,  parson  of 
St.  Andrews  in  Holborn,  and  other."  Stow's  Chronicle  by  Howes, 
p.  385,  and  Fabian's  Chronicle  edition  1811,  p.  618.] 

By  pe  Kyng. 

Truhty  and  welbolovcd  j  For  as  moche  as  we  have  un- 
derstande  et'  [on]  your  behalf  that  it  were  right  necessary 


58  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1446- 

for  you  -by-  befor  the  day  of  ye«¥  [4b«-  yo']  bataile  to  be 
hadde  in  Smythefeld  to  be  for  a  certaine  tyme  negt  to 
the  said  Smythefeld  for  youre  brething  &£-  [and]  more 
ease  ayenst  the  said  day,/  we  wol  and  lycence  you 
zo  to  bo-  by  thees  our  tres  so  to  be  [undr  the  charge  1 
goevnance  of  our  rizt  trusty  and  rizt  welbeloved  cousin 
]>e  Due  of  Excestr  constable  of  our  Tour  of  London] 
latyng  you  wite  that  by  our  other  tres  undre  our  prive 
seel  [we]  have  yeve  in  comawndemt  to  our  rigtit  trusty 
end  rigT.t  wolbelovc^  [said]  cousyn  the  Due  of  Excofetr 
constabiG  of  our  Towro  of  Londc::  to  m-  delivere  you  out 
of  the  said  Towr  and  make  you  be  brought  to  sucli  a 
place  negh  the  said  Smythefeld  as  ye  shal  be  and  abyde 
per  inne  [undf  h^  charge  1  govcnGnco]  unto  J>e  tyme 
of  the  said  bataile. 

To  the  Erie  of  Ormond. 


[Bibl.  CottOD.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.  231.    Original  draught. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Exeter ;  about  November  or 
December,  25  Hen.VI.  1446.     See  the  preceding  article.] 

Righ't  trusty  and  right  welbeloved  cousyn  j  fW 
ec:riueh&  %c.  ut  £up*  We  by  our  other  Ires  undre  our 
prive  seel  write  unto  the  Erie  of  Ormond  in  manie  [as] 
f&t  foloweth  J  Trusty  Ife  [Forasmuche  "tc]  j  wherfor  we 
wol  and  by  J>ees  our  Ires  yeve  you  licence  power  and 
auctorite  to  dclivo  out  of  our  said!  that  byfor  ij.  dayes 
befor  pe  day  of  bataille  or  at  eny  tyme  withinne  -fttt 
that  the  seid  Erie  wol  desire  his  going  out  of  the  said 
Towr  to  any  place  negh  Smythefeld  fro  whens  he 
wo  come  to  pe  said  bataile:'  that  ye  make  him  surely 
and  safiy  be  brought  therto  j  and  ther  [undr  yo'  warde 
\  goevnance]  to  be  saufly  and  surely  kept  by  you  and  at 


1446.]  25  HENRY  VI.  59 

undre  your  keping  and  by  you  and  yourye  charge  be 

brought  to  Smythefeld  unto  )70  tymo  at  J)e  tyme  of  pe 

said  bataille. 

To  \>e  Due  of  Excestr. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.  231.  Origifud. 

Writ  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  dated  28th  December,  25  Hen.VL 

1446.     Vide  the  preceding  articles.] 

By  the  King. 

R£\r£R£ND  fader  in  God  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j 
For  asmoch  as  we  in  consideracion  of  thattendance  and 
labours  that  oure  welbeloved  Philip  Treher  fyshmonger 
hath  had  by  oure  spal  comandement  j  aswel  in  teching 
certain  pointf  of  armis  unto  the  Priour  of  Kilmayn 
which  late  appelled  J)erl  of  Ormond  of  [hault]  treason  as 
in  teching  and  counselling  JoRn  Davy  which  late  hath 
appeled  oon  Jotin  Catour  armorer  of  treason  also .;  have 
yeven  unto  hym  xx.  li.  by  weye  of  reward  to  be  taken 
by  the  handes  of  oure  Tresorer  of  England  j  we  wol  and 
charge  you  J?at  under  our  pVe  seel  being  in  your  warde 
ye  do  make  oure  Ires  directed  unto  our  said  Tresorer 
and  the  Chamberlayns  of  our  eschequier^  comanding 
them  to  paye  unto  ]>e  said  Philip  pe  said  xx.  ti.  by 
weye  of  rewarde  in  redy  money  or  ellis  to  yeve  him 
suffisant  assignement  of  the  same^  and  peese  our  Ires 
shal  be  your  warrant.  Yeven  under  our  signet  at  oure 
castel  of  Wyndesore  the  xxviij.  day  of  Decembre  pe 
yere  of  oure  regne  xxv* 

Blakeney. 


60  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1447- 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  132.  OriginaL 
Minutes  of  the  Council,  19th  March,  25  Hen. VI.  1447.] 

R.  H>. 
The  Kyrjg  wolt  J>at  Ires  be  writen  to  ]>e  Kyng  of 
Scottf  rehercyng  ]>e  attemptatf  ayenst  J>e  trieues^  re- 
quiryng  him  to  kepe  the  saide  trieues  j  and  if  he  or  his 
p^tende  hem  grieved  y  that  comissairs  be  deputed  of 
both  ]>e  parties  for  reformacon  of  attemptatf . 

Hm  J>at  tres  be  writen  to  ]>e  Con^^**  T:  ottr  havyng 
places  in  Wales  J>'  J?ey  see  to  J?e  savegard  of  J?e  saide 
places  as  ]>ey  woU  answere  to  ]>e  K\ 

Km  )?at  Ires  be  writen  to  J>e  Cap'^*'  of  Berwyk  }>at  he 
in  his  own  psone  go  J?idre  for  ]>e  savegarde  of  J?e  saide 
place  J  and  op?e  Ires  to  ]>e  souldeours  pie  to  be  here  in 
Estre  rme  next  comyng  j  at  which  tyme  pey  shall  have 
an  answere  upon  sucb  thingf  as  pey  assk  as  by  reason 
]>ey  shaH  hold  hem  content, 

Hm  where  as  ]>e  citee  of  Bourdeaulx  prayetli  pe  K' 
to  yeve  his  consent  to  J>elect  chosen  by  ]>e  c5vent  of 
J>abbey  of  Seynt  Croix  in  Bourdeaulx  ^  J?e  Kyng  is 
content  w'  J>is  eleccon  1  cdmaundeth  y-  )??upon  Ires  be 
writen  to  )?e  citee  of  Bourdeaulx  1  ^e  saide  convent  j 
1  also  ottr  Ires  to  our  holy  fadre  )?e  Pope  to  confirme  pe 
saide  eleccon  T:  to  revoke  aH  j^at  hatR  be  done  in  pro- 
vidyng  of  )>e  saide  monasterie  to  any  ofie  psone. 

Km  ]>e  Kyng  woH  }>at  J?e  lordes  of  his  consail  \  suet 
othr  as  shall  be  thought  gode  to  my  Lorde  Chanc  be 
writen  to  j  to  be  her  in  ]>e  begynyg  of  J?e  next  rme  1 
at  such  tyme  as  }>ambassato's  of  )?e  K'  uncle  shall  be 
here. 


1  The  King  s  autograph. 


IW.]  25  HENRY  VI.  (Jl 

I!m  the  K*  woH  that  ]>e  feliship  of  Hanze  of  Almayne 
have  a  safegarde  for  iij.  yere  next  comyng  j  so  J>at  ]>ey 
be  not  vexed  by  vertue  of  any  Ire  of  marque  graunted 
or  to  be  graunted  •/  but  J)at  J>ey  may  resorte  into  J>is 
lande  freely  w*  J)eir  mchandises  j  paiyng  J^eir  custumes  It 
devoirs. 

Km  ]>e  K*  wolt  J?at  Colyer  [p'f  ]  have  by  weye  of  re- 
ward X.  mark  1  ]>e  Due  of  Orliaunce  poursyvaunt  c.  s. 

Itm  to  a  Fraunchman  late  sent  from  pe  Kyngf  uncle 
ye  which  come  to  ]>e  K*  to  Bury  c.  skutf  by  wey  of 
reward. 

And  pe  Kyng  wolt  )?at  )?articles  abovesaide  be  ex- 
tended in  ample  1  large  fo'me  as  it  shall  be  thought 
necessair .;  with  clauses  accustumed  1  behovefuK .;  and 
this  cedule  be  suffisant  warrant  to  pe  Keper  of  his 
pryve  seal. 

Km  where  a  comissioii  was  made  to  certaine  psones 
for  repoisage  of  wott  at  ]>e  staple  of  Caleys^  pe  Kyng 
wott  pat  it  be  revoked  It  Ires  to  be  writen  to  )?e  feliship 
of  pe  saide  staple  to  ])eir  cdforth  j  and  ^  ]7is  article  be 
extended  as  above. 

R.  H.» 
Apud  Westm  xix°.  Marcii  a?  xxv***. 

'  The  King's  autograph. 


62  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL.  [1448. 


Acta  de  Anno  Vicesimo  septtmo. 

[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  7*  a  modern  Tran9cript. 

Answer  of  the  King  and  the  Council  to  certain  articles  delivered  by 
Garter  King  of  Arms  on  behalf  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  lieutenant 
general  of  France,  30th  October,  27  Hen.VI.  1448.] 

Here  followen  thanswers  unto  tharticles  which  Gartier 
King  of  Armes  declared  by  way  of  credence  unto  the 
King  our  soveraign  lord  and  my  lords  of  his  counsail  j  on 
the  behalfe  of  the  high  and  mighty  prince  my  lord  the 
Duk  of  Somerset  the  King's  lieutenant  generall  of  his 
reaume  of  France  and  duches  of  Normandy  and  Guyenne 
and  other  my  lords  the  King's  ambassat"  now  being  in 
thoo  parties. 

FuRST  forasmoche  as  it  hath  ben  accustumed  in  other 
instructions  the  commissarys  to  use  tharticles  of  thair 
instructions  in  such  ordre  as  it  seemed  them  moost  ex- 
pedient J  that  it  like  the  King  to  declare  what  his  am- 
bassatours  shal  doe  at  this  time. 

Answer.  Forasntoch  as  the  said  ambassatours  may 
perceive  know  and  understand  many  things  there  such 
as  be  not  in  the  knowledge  of  the  King  nor  of  my  lords 
of  his  counsail  j  and  by  the  things  conceive  what  ordre 
shall  be  thought  to  them  is  moost  covenable  and  ex- 
pedient to  be  observed  and  kept  for  the  good  of  the 
principal  matiere  in  uttring  of  thoo  things  that  ben 
conteigned  in  the  articles  of  thair  instruction  j  the 
King  wol  that  in  uttering  of  the  said  things  thay  kepe 
such  ordre  as  shall  be  thought  to  thair  discretions  moost 
expedient. 


1448.]  27  HENRY  VI.  63 

Item  how  men  shall  demene  thaim  anenst  the  com- 
missaries of  Bretaigne  sithen  they  wol  not  intend  but  in 
compaigny  of  the  Kings  uncle. 

Answere.  It  is  thought  to  the  King  by  thadvis  of 
his  councel  that  in  this  matiere  consideration  is  to  be 
had  to  the  othes  made  by  the  Duke  of  Bretaigne  that 
dede  is  j  by  his  brethern  j  his  soones  j  and  by  the  barons 
and  notable  persones  of  his  duchie  to  the  Kingj  as  it 
appereth  ty  thaire  lettres  patentes^  the  which  shall  be 
redy  to  be  shewed  when  ever  the  case  shall  require  it:' 
from  thefiect  of  which  tres  nor  of  the  bond  growne  to 
the  King  therby  in  their  persones  it  nis  not  the  Kings 
intent  in  any  wise  to  departe  or*  doe  any  thing  that  may 
be  pjudiciall  thereto.  And  forasmoche  in  eschewing  of 
any  such  ^udice  and  also  in  eschewing  of  any  open 
troubling  of  the  tretee  to  be  had  betwix  thambassatours 
of  both  partys  at  this  time  j  it  semeth  that  the  Kings 
ambassatours  shall  mowe  desire  to  have  speche  apart 
w***  such  as  shall  be  sent  thider  from  the  Duk  of 
Bretaigne  and  lay  the  said  things  before  thaim  and 
thereupon  ground  a  request  according  to  reson  in 
this  matiere  j  and  in  especialle  require  of  theim  that  if 
thai  wol  be  psent  in  the  said  tretee  thay  be  there  as 
partie  with  the  King  and  as  the  same  othes  and  tres 
made  by  thaim  ask  and  require  j  and  thain  if  so  be  they 
wol  in  noe  wise  entend  to  this  request  but  wol  algates 
desire  to  be  present  in  the  tretee  as  with  and  for  that 
other  partie  ^  the  said  ambassatours  shall  rather  than  the 
principall  tretee  shall  be  letted  j  use  and  make  such  pro- 
testation or  protestations  as  shall  be  thought  to  thair 
discretions  covenable  and  behovefull  to  eschew  by  any 
prejudice  that  shold  mowe  growe  in  this  matiere  to 
the  King  by  thaire  said  presences. 


64  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [U4«. 

Item  as  to  tharticle  to  keep  the  raatiere  from  rupture  j 
how  and  by  what  mean  the  said  ambassatours  shall 
mowe  soe  do. 

Answeue.  How  be  it  that  the  said  ambassat"  after 
communication  had  with  thambassat'*  of  that  other  partie 
shall  mowe  better  feel  how  the  principal  matier  shall 
mowe  be  kept  out  of  rupture  than  it  is  possible  to  the 
King  and  my  lordes  here  to  feele  j  nevertheless  it  is 
thought  to  the  King  and  his  counsail  here  that  among 
other  meens  that  shall  mowe  serve  to  keep  the  matiere 
out  of  rupture  j  oon  might  be  to  entend  to  prorogation 
of  thaire  assamble  to  as  long  a  day  and  tyme  as  shal 
mowe  be  accorded  between  thaim  j  under  the  which 
prorogacon  thambassat'^  of  either  party  shal  mowe  resort 
agen  to  their  princes  and  make  report  unto  thaim  of  com- 
munications had  betwix  the  said  ambassato"  and  of  the 
difficultees  that  they  feel  in  the  matiers  j  the  which  time 
hanging  j  either  of  the  princes  shall  mowe  if  it  like  them 
send  to  other  for  easing  of  the  said  difficultees  or  sum 
other  good  and  godly  wayes  be  found  by  the  which 
the  matiere  shall  be  kept  in  good  hope  and  out  of 
rupture. 

The  w^  Answers  the  King  our  said  sovain  lord  wol  that 
his  said  ambassatours  use  for  their  instruccon  in  this 
behalfe.  In  witness  whereof  the  same  our  sovaine  lord 
hath  do  be  put  hereto  his  grete  and  prive  seels.  Yeven 
at  Westm  the  xxx.  day  of  Octobre  the  yere  of  his 
raigne  xxvij. 


r 
i 


1440.]  27  HENRY  VI.  65 

llbid.  art.  15. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Bishop  of  Durham,  the  Earl  of  West^ 
moreland,  the  Lords  Clifford,  Greystock,  Dacre,  and  others,  dated 
3rd  February,  27  Hen.VL  1440.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cousin  we  grete  you 
wel .;  It  nedeth  not  to  remembre  you  sith  open  ex- 
perience shewethy  of  whatevellwylle  malice  and  untoward 
disposition  the  Scotts  ben  of  toward  us  this  oure  reaume 
and  subgetts  j  which  dayly  by  alle  the  wayes  and  meenes 
thay  can  and  may  practise  j  enforceth  thaim  to  the  noy- 
sance  and  hurte  thereof^  and  namely  of  oure  marches 
towards  thaim  j  to  whoos  resistence  if  it  be  not  diligently 
w*  effect  entended  and  purveyed  grete  inconvenience 
myght  and  were  like  to  ensewe  j  that  God  defende.  And 
forasmoche  as  now  the  xij.  day  of  this  present  moneth 
oure  parlement  is  limitted  to  be  begunne  at  oure  paloys 
of  Westm  J  in  the  which  is  requisite  to  be  th'astats  of 
cure  lande  sperituell  and  temporell  ^  never  ye  lesse  if 
by  such  occasion  oure  said  Marches  sholde  lack  the 
presence  of  you  and  oyere  suche  as  have  enterest  yere  j 
it  shold  nowe  be  unto  ye  said  Scotts  the  gretier  bolde- 
nesse  and  encourraging  more  bysely  to  putte  yaim  in 
their  devoir  for  the  acchiving  of  yaire  said  maliciouse 
purpos  and  entent.  Wherefore  to  eschewe  alle  perill  that 
might  fall  j  we  wol  desyr  and  pray  you  hertely  y*  both 
for  oure  and  youre  availle  ye  dispose  you  and  effectuelly 
entende  upon  and  about  the  seure  and  saufkepyng  of 
cure  said  Marches  and  resistence  of  ye  malice  of  oure 
said  evel  wyllers  ^  latyng  you  wite  y*  in  this  doing  we 
shall  have  you  fully  for  excused  of  youre  not  comyng 
to  oure  saide  parlement.    And  we  pray  you  y*  ye  leve 

VOL.  VI.  F 


k 


66  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449. 

not  this  as  oure  singular  trust  ys  on  you  and  as  ye 
desire  oure  honeur  and  worship  welfare  and  seurete 
of  oure  said  Marches.  Yeven  undre  oure  prive  seal  at 
Westm  the  iij^^.  day  of  Feverer  anno  tc.  xxvij°. 

To  y*  Bishop  of  Dureham       To  S*^  Thomas  Percy 
To  th'Erle  of  Westmerlande     To  S'  John  Nevyll 
To  the  Lord  Clyfford  To  S'  Thomas  Nevyll 

To  the  Baron  of  Graystok      To  S*"  Thomas  Lumley  - 
To  the  Lord  Dacre 
To  the  Lord  Ponyngs 
To  the  Lord  Fitzhugh 
To  y*  Lord  Scrope  of  Bolton. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  consilii. 

T.  Kent. 


09 

'S 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  E.  iii.  f.  94.  OriginaL 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  ]  8th  February,  27  Hen.VL  1449.] 

To  the  Kyng  oure  sovaigne  lord. 

R.  H.^ 

Besechith*  mekely  youre  humblt  1  contynuett  oratour 
1  bedeman  William  Strete  monke  of  the  ordre  of  Seint 
Benet  in  the  abbay  of  Glastonbury  j  that  where  as  he 
nowe  late  for  ])e  more  quiete  1  rest  of  his  soule  pursewed; 
1  hat^  of  oure  holy  fader  the  Pope  his  gracious  bulles 
of  amigracion  ^  that  is  to  say  ^  for  your  said  suppliaunt  to 
be  exempt  '\  discharged  from  the  said  abbey  and  to  goo 
and  be  resident  in  an  opi  place  of  lyke  ordre  or  in  an 


The  King's  autograph. 


14490  27  HENRY  VI.  Qj 

harder  ordre  to  J?entent  }?e  more  devoudy  to  serve  and 
please  Almighty  God  j  and  your  gracious  licence  ]7erupoiL 
not  badde  ne  purchaced  ^  wheryn  he  dowtit^  him  }>at  he 
hatfi  offended  your  highnes.  Please  hit  J>?fbre  your  said 
hig^nes  of  your  especiaS  1  benigne  grace  the  premisses 
tenderly  considered  j  to  graunt  unto  your  said  oratour 
your  gracious  Ires  patentz  of  pdoii  in  J)is  ptie  in  sure  1 
lawfutt  fourme  to  be  made  j  atte  revence  of  God  and 
in  wey  of  charitee.  And  he  shaH  pray  specially  God 
for  you. 

The  Kyng  hath  graunted  this  byll  at  Westmynstre 
the  xviij.  day  of  Feverere  the  yere  of  his  regne 
xxvij.  at  the  suy t  of  John  PenycooK  psente  Phe 
Wentworth  and  John  Say. 


[Additional  MS.  4610,  art.  16.  a  modern  Transcript, 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  28th  February,  27  Hen.VI.  1449.] 

To  the  King  our  soveraign  lord. 

Mekelt  besechen  your  highnesse  your  trewe  oratoures 
Dame  Margarete  Lyle  late  prioresse  of  Rowney  in  Hert- 
fordshire with  hur  sustrell  your  fowndyd  bedewomen  j 
compleyning  lamentably  unto  your  soverainete  .;  that 
whereas  your  seid  besechers  may  not  have  noo  preste  to 
pray  for  your  noble  astate  and  prosperity  and  for  all 
ther  good  doers .;  but  yf  thei  wold  have  a  yonge  preste  j 
the  which  were  not  covenable  for  hem  j  or  ellys  askyn  so 
moche  and  grete  salary  that  it  is  importable  for  them  to 
here. 

F   2 


68  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449. 

Please  your  noble  soveraigne  and  benigne  grace  there 
as  your  said  besechers  may  have  a  good  old  frere  my- 
nour  callyd  Frere  John  Tyvnham  the  which  is  a  good 
prechour  and  is  ther  goostly  fader  and  of  good  conversa- 
tion J  and  desireth  of  grete  devotion  to  doo  divine  service 
there  in  that  place  for  the  moche  love  and  devowtnesse 
that  the  people  hath  to  here  his  techyng  and  prechyng  ^ 
that  been  vicines  there  next  aboughte  ^  to  the  grete 
comforte  and  reliefe  of  the  people  and  of  Godds 
service. 

That  it  like  your  good  grace  tendrely  to  considre  the 
p^misses  and  of  your  habundant  grace  for  there  ese  and 
encresyng  of  Godds  service  j  to  send  youre  lettre  of  privy 
seale  unto  Frere  Thomas  Rodenore  doctor  and  pro- 
vyncial  mynistyr  j  he  to  amytte  the  foresaid  Frere  John 
Tyvnham  his  lettre  of  obedience  to  be  redy  and  enten- 
daunt  to  your  seid  besechers  and  to  the  said  house  of 
Rowney  ^  soe  that  Godds  service  may  encrece  and  the 
better  be  done  and  ze  most  especiall  and  all  there  good 
doers  the  better  prayed  for  j  and  this  to  take  effect  now 
in  this  holy  tyme  at  the  reverence  of  God  and  for 
charite. 

De  mandate  Regis  per  avisamentum  concilii  ultimo 
Februarii  anno  1c.  xxvij^  Westm. 

T.  Kent 


14490  27  HENRY  VI.  69 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Galba,  B.  i.  f.  151.  Original 

Instructions  issued  on  the  17th  March,  27  Hen. VI.  144^,  to  William 
Pirton  esquire,  lieutenant  of  Guisnes,  and  Edward  Grimston  esquire, 
the  commissioners  who  were  to  treat  with  the  Duchess  of  Burgundy. 
These  persons,  with  several  others,  were  appointed  to  negociate 
with  that  princess  for  a  reformation  of  attempts  made  against  the 
truce  on  the  8th  of  May  following.     Vide  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  p.  2S0.3 

Instruccon  yeven  by  the  King  oure  soveraine  lorde 
unto  his  trusty  and  welbeloved  squyers  William 
Pirton  lieutenant  of  Guysnes  and  Edwarde 
Grymeston  whome  he  sendeth  at  this  tyme 
to  his  cousin  the  Duchesse  of  Bourgoigne  and 
to  yither  of  ])aim. 

Furste  thai  shal  with  reverence  convenable  present 
theire  Ires  the  which  among  other  thingf  conte3aie  cre- 
dence ^  and  in  opening  of  theire  credence  thay  shal  saye 
in  substance  as  foloweth  j  with  as  good  termes  and  Ian- 
gage  as  God  and  thaire  discrecons  shal  yeve  tham  with 
such  circustances  as  shalbe  thought  expedient. 

And  proceding  ferther  thay  shal  mowe  say  that  it  is 
not  unknowen  unto  hir  that  afore  this  tyme  thentrecourse 
of  marchandise  hath  hadde  his  place  betwix  the  Kingf 
^people  landes  and  lordeshippes  and  people  landes  and 
lordshippes  there  j  the  which  hath  ben  to  the  greet  profile 
and  welfare  of  both  parties  and  greetly  chirisshed  love 
and  frendeship  on  bothe  parties  j  and  the  King  is  welt 
content  and  alle  way  hathte  to  do  his  parte  that  alle 
thing  be  as  it  hath  be  withoute  Y  any  noveltees  be 
hadde  on  his  side  j  thinging  \?X  ])at  other  partie  sholde  do 
the  same./  And  therfore  he  mervailleth  what  shold  sture 
or  be  the  causes  or  meanes  of  such  ordenance  and 
phibicons  as  be  nowe  made  by  the  said  Duchesse  that 
con    Englisshe  cloth    be  brought  solde   or    uttred   in 

F  3 


?  70  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449. 

Holland  Zelland  and  oj)?  places  of  hir  obeisance  whereas 
it  hath  be  used  afore  this  tyme. 

Item  thay  sal  mowe  remembre  that  aswel  that  in 
thappointementf  made  afore  this  tyme  betwix  the  King 
and  thaim  of  Holand  and  Zelande  \c\  as  in  the 
trewes  taken  by  my  Lorde  of  Yorke  in  the  Kingf  name 
with  hir  c5misaires  at  Roon^  divers  tymes  sithefi  pro- 
roged  J  it  is  conteigned  expressely  that  alle  marchandises 
sholde  freely  have  his  cours  betwix  bothe  parties  without 
any  lette  or  disturbance. 

Item  the  same  is  also  conteined  in  the  trewes  taken 
and  yit  enduring  betwix  the  King  and  his  oncle  of 
France  j  in  the  which  the  King  understandeth  the  saide 
Duchesse  is  comprised  j  and  therfore  not  withoute  cause 
the  King  mervailleth  of  the  said  ordinance  so  ayenst  the 
frendeship  thappointementf  1  also  divers  trewes. 

Item  the  saide  ordenance  is  ayenst  the  custume  long 
tyme  observed  j  for  it  canne  not  be  remembred  but  at 
alle  tymes  it  hath  be  seii  used  English  clothe  to  resorte 
and  have  his  uttrance  in  Hollande  Zelland  and  other 
places  where  it  is  nowe  forboden. 

Item  thay  shal  mowe  saye  that  the  nature  of  trewes 
wol  and  is  thentent  therof  that  alle  marchandise  shold 
have  his  course  and  marchantf  to  have  their  coicacon 
eche  with  other,/  and  if  it  so  were  that  an  ordenance 
myght  be  made^  for  the  stopping  of  oo  maner  of  mar- 
chandise in  like  wyse  it  myght  be  extended  to  another  ^ 
and  so  to  alle  j  and  by  that  meane  alle  marchandise 
seese  and  the  trewe  remayne  of  noon  effect  nor  ease 
to  the  subgettf . 

Item  if  it  be  saide  that  this  matier  myght  be  eased  at 
suche  tyme  as  it  shold  be  spoke  of  the  restitucon  of 
attemptatf  j  it  may  be  saide  that  it  is  thought  that  the 


1449.]  27  HENRY  VI.  71 

saide  ordennance  may  not  be  called  attemptate  nor 
comprised  in  the  matier  therof  ^  but  is  directly  enervacon 
of  the  trewe  and  contrary  thereto  and  in  no  wise  re- 
fonnable  lesse  then  it  be  revoked. 

Item  thay  shal  remembre  that  for  that  for  the  putting 
downe  and  to  set  aside  the  saide  ordinance  ^  the  King 
hath  many  tymes  and  ofle  writen  to  the  said  Duchesse 
and  sent  also  notable  persones  with  credence  to  wiH  and 
sture  hir  by  suche  meanes  as  thay  couth  to  the  revocacon 
thereof,/  and  yit  alle  this  not  withstanding  it  is  not  per- 
ceived that  any  remedy  ys  sett  or  ordeined  ^  to  the  greet 
hurt  and  damage  of  the  K  ingf  people. 

Item  thay  shal  mowe  say  that  where  as  nowe  the  King 
hath  called  the  iij.  astatf  of  his  lande  and  thay  be  as- 
sembled at  the  citee  of  London  for  his  parlement  ^  ye  said 
iij.  astatf  have  piteuously  complayned  *  upon  the  saide 
ordenance  and  mekely  besought  the  Kingf  good  grace 
that  he  wold  ordeigne  and  stablisti  that  witlioute  the 
saide  ordenance  without  delay  or  taring  wer  putte  asyde 
that  ther  shold  no  marchandise  of  the  saide  contrees 
be  brought  receyved  nor  attempted  in  this  lande  j  but  be 
forfaited  in  caas  it  be  brought  hider  j  and  here  upon  thai 
shal  in  the  Kingf  behalf  desire  and  also  requif  the  saide 
Duchesse  that  the  ordinance  abovesaidbe  anullid  revoked 
and  set  aside  so  that  the  King  have  no  cause  to  entende 
to  thexecucon  of  the  said  request. 

Item  for  asmoch  as  it  is  said  and  the  voise  of  the 
people  renneth  that  ther  shalbe  not  long  to  certain  armes 
at  Seint  Omers  and  undre  that  colour  greet  numbre  of 
people  like  to  assemble  j  and  also  that  divers  abilimentf 
of  werre  ben  ordeigned  and  made  in  divers  places  of  that 


»  Vide  Rot.  Pari.  vol.  v.  pp.  150,  151. 

F  4 


1 


7«  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [!*«. 

obeisance  j  the  said  ambassatours  shal  mowe  of  their  owne 
self  speke  and  comune  upon  this  matier  and  fele  by  alle 
the  meanes  thai  canne  to  wat  entent  the  said  thing  be 
ordeignedy  for  J^e  noise  and  renome  is  that  undre  the 
saide  coleure  divers  enterprises  be  ymagined  and  take  in 
hande. 

Item  the  said  ambassatours  shal  putte  thaim  by  sucb 
wyse  in  thair  devoir  that  thay  mowe  bring  suc^  answere 
in  writing  from  the  saide  Duchesse  as  it  shal  like  hir  to 

» 

give  to  the  saide  matiers. 

Item  thai  shal  mowe  saye  that  the  King  for  thentire 
love  and  good  desyre  that  he  hath  to  the  saide  Duchesse  4 
hath  proceded  in  maner  and  fourme  as  he  hatli  in  writing 
and  sending  divers  tymes  as  is  abovesaid  j  and  used  no 
rigure  for  the  remedy  of  the  said  ordennance  not  with- 
standing that  it  is  so  prejudicial  as  it  is  ^  and  therfore  he 
trusteth  verrayly  that  she  consydering  the  honest  meenes 
that  the  King  hath  used  in  this  behalf^  without  difficulte 
wol  purvey  for  setting  asyde  of  the  said  ordennance 
without  more  delay  j  and  so  guyde  hir  in  Y  behalf  Y  Y 
King  shal  have  no  cause  to  op?  man!  of  pceding. 

Item  proceding  furthermore  thay  shal  as  colourably  as 
thay  can  ^  speke  of  thutrance  of  wolles  at  Calais  y  re- 
membring  the  said  Duchesse  as  it  were  of  J^aim  self  ^  saying 
if  she  wolde  putte  therto  hir  hande  it  might  be  so  pur- 
veyyed  by  meenes  that  by  the  saide  uttrance  gret  good 
sholde  mow  growe  not  oonly  to  the  marchantf  that  uttre 
theire  woll  but  also  to  the  beyers  therof  y  the  whiche  in 
gret  part  be  hir  subgittf  j  and  thay  may  say  thay  doubte 
not  but  that  the  King  wol  on  his  behalf  so  ordeine  that  it 
shal  be  to  the  plesir  of  the  said  Duchesse  and  profite  to 
hir  people.  And  if  so  be  that  the  said  Duchesse  be  wel 
disposed  and  towardly  in   the  said   matiers  thay  shal 


1«^0  27  HENRY  VI.  73 

mowe  saye  that  if  she  wol  ordeyne  and  depute  hir  people 
aswel  for  the  quatre  membres  as  other  to  have  coica- 
con  upon  the  saide  matiers  the  King  wol  be  redy 
also  to  ordeine  his  cdmissaryes.  In  witnesse  Ic.  Yevefi 
"ic.  at  Westm  the  xvij,  day  of  Marche  the  yere  He. 
xxvij. 

De  mandato  Pr  anno  1  die  sup'scripf. 

T.  Kent. 


[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  19.  a  modem  TVanscripL 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  18th  March,  27  Hen. VI.  1440.] 

Henri  T:c.    To  the  moost  reverent  fadre  in  God  John 

arcfaebisshop  of  Canterbury  primat  of  alle  Englande  oure 

Chanceller  greting.    Forasmoch  aa  in  the  trewes  take 

and  appointed  betwix  us  and  oure  cousin  the  Duchese  of 

Borgoigney  amongs  other  things  it  is  conteigned  that 

appatesing  sholde  seese  in  certaine  fourme  in  the  same 

appointement  declared  j  the  which  notwithstanding  j  the 

souldeours  of  oure  gameson  of  Crotoye  have  made  leve 

and^take  appatisementes  ayenst  the  saide  article  j  for  the 

reparation  wherfore  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  William 

Cantelowe  by  oure  comaundement  hath  payed  unto  the 

Bastard  of  Saint  Foule  the  some  of  v^.  marc  j  and  we 

willing  that  the  saide  William  be  content  in  this  behalf 

have  graunted  unto  him  paiement  to  be  made  of  the  said 

some  of  the  dismes  and  quinzismes  next  to  be  graunted 

unto  us  by  the  comunes  and  clergie  of  this  oure  land  j 

therfor •  •  and  charge  you   that   hereupon  ye 

<loo  make  oure  letters    patentes  undre  oure  greet  seal 


74  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1440. 

in  due  fourme.    Yeven  Ic.  at  Westm  the  xviij.  day  of 
Marche  the  yere  of  oure  regne  xxvij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  suil 

consilii  y  praesenl  Dnis  Cancett  Thes  I T.  Kent 
Custod  privati  sigitt  Suff  Ic.  J 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.v.  f.  142.  OriginaL 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  11th  June,  27  Hen. VI.  1449.] 

By  the  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  it  is  comen  unto  oure  knowe- 
lache  by  credyble  report  howe  that  by  occasion  of  suche 
thingf  as  ben  saide  and  spredde  abrode  in  this  our  lande 
fof  the  evyS  dysposicon  and  malicous  purpos  of  the  Due 
'  of  Bourgoigne  and  his  subgettf  j  that  thay  have  towardys 
oure  towne  of  Calais  and  the  remenant  of  oure  obeissance 
there  y  suche  people  of  the  Duche  tongue  aswel  of  Flandres 
as  other  contrees  as  ben  inhabitantf  in  our  citee  of 
:  Londoii  the  suburbes  and  procint  of  ])e  same  y  as  Sowtfi- 
werke  and  other  places  y  ben  trowbled  spoyled  and  un- 
dewly  vexed  hurt  and  cruelly  entreted  dayly  j  aswel  by 
souldiours  going  towardf  our  said  towne  of  Calais  for  the 
defence  of  the  same  4  as  other  people  v  whiche  thing  is 
'  ayenst  God  all!  reason  and  humanitee  ^  considred  that 
thay  bein  admitted  to  dwelt  undre  oure  obeissance  ^  in 
whiche  cas  nothing  shewed  by  thaim  unto  the  contrary  ^ 
thaim  ought  noone  otherwyse  be  entreted  than  well  nor 
we  ne  wold  thai  were  j  W^erfore  we  wol  and  charge  you 
•straitely  that  by  proclamacon  and  otherwyse  ye  putt  you 
soo  in  your  devoir  and  dyligence  that  no  moo  suche 
exorbitances  be  comitted  from  hens  forthe  j  but  that  re- 


1449.]  27  HENRY  VI.  75 

fonnacon  be  made  as  ferforthe  as  ye  shal  mowe  of  pat  is 
doon  amissey  and  that  the  said  people  may  peisible 
witKoute  any  suche  empechement  lyve  and  entend  thai? 
crafles  and  bisinesses  as  thay  have  dooii  before  tyme. 
Yeven  \c\  at  Wynchestre  the  xj.  day  of  Juyn  the  yere  of 
cure  regne  xxvij. 

To  our  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Mair  and  sherryeft* 
of  our  citee  of  London. 


} 


De  mandato  Regis  p  avisamentum  sui" 
consilii  y  pn{  Diiis  Car^'  Cancelt 
Thes  Wintgn  Elien  Wigorn  Nor-  rLANOPORT. 
wic  Cestr  Duce  Suff  Cromwett  I 
Stourton  Ttc.  ^ 


[Blbl.  Cotton.  CleopatrSy  £.  iii.  f.  94.  Original. 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer>  2nd  Ju]y>  27  Hen^VI.  1449.] 

To  the  Kyng  our  sovayn  lord. 

Besechith*  mekely  your  preest  and  oratour  William 
bisshop  of  Coventr  and  Lict  j  that  where  there  ben  within 
the  counte  of  Chestre  and  in  the  cite  of  Chestre  mony 
advowtrers  fornicatours  and  other  mysdoers  ayenes  the 
lawe  of  God  j  the  whict  mysdoers  the  oflScers  of  youre 
seyd  besecher  dar  not  ne  may  not  correcte  ne  amende 
within  the  seyd  counte  and  cite./  some  for  cause  of 
mygM  of  hem  self  and  some  for  cause  of  maynten^nce 
that  they  have  of  mighty  men  within  the  seyd  counte  j 
that  it  please  unto  your  highnesse  to  g*unt  by  your 
sePaH  tres  patentz  undre  your  grete  seal!  of  England  and 
your  seaB  of  Chestre  unto  your  seyd  besecher  j  that  your 
seyd  besecher  and  his  officers  duryng  the  lyve  of  your 


76  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449. 

seyct  besecher  y  may  cite  and  calle  and  make  to  be  cited 
and  called  oute  of  the  sey d  shyre  and  cite  [into  any  other 
places  of  his  diocise]  all  maS  of  psones  residentz  and  to 
be  residentz  within  the  seyd  shyre  or  cite  in  att  maner 
of  causes  and  mars  concnyng  and  touching  the  lawe  of 
holy  chirche  v  any  writte  or  cdmaundement  to  your  seyd 
besecher  or  any  of  his  officers  from  you  afore  this  tyine 
directed  or  hereafter  to  be  directed  to  the  cont^rie 
hereof  notwithstondyng  y  and  he  shalt  pray  God  for  you. 

Secundo  die  Julii  anno  1c*.  xxvij"^.  sepales  tre-i 
fQunt  fee  sub  privato  sigillo  prout  supra  de-  \ 
sideratur.  •' 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Galba,  B.  i.  f.  152.  Original 

Instructions  issued  on  the  30th  July,  27  Hen.VL  1449,  to  John  lord 
Dudley  and  Doctor  Thomas  Kent,  clerk  of  the  Council,  ambassa- 
dors to  the  Duchess  of  Burgundy.  Vide  Foedera,  vol.  xi.  pp.  2SS, 
2S4-] 

R.  H.i 

Instrucion  yeven  by  the  King  oure  soveraigne  lorde 
unto  his  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  and  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved  John  lorde  Duddeley  his  counsailler  and  Maister 
Thomas  Kent  doctour  of  bothe  lawes  clerc  of  his  coun- 
saifi  whiche  he  sendeth  at  this  tyme  his  ambassiatours 
unto  his  cousine  []?e]  Duchesse  of  Bourgoigne. 

Furst  ])e  said  ambassiatours  after  presentacon  of  }>eir 
Ires  in  manere  and  fourme  and  witl^  reverens  accustumed  j 
shaS  mowe  open  and  say  that  the  King  in  shewing  his 
good  wiB  and  towardnes  that  aS  thingf  dooK  ayenst  )>e 


The  King's  autograph. 


1449.]  27  HENRY  VL  77 

treues  made  and  badde  betwix  him  and  pe  said!  Duchesse 
thereto  sufficiently  autorized  by  hir  husband  y  which  yit  en- 
dure v  sent  no  we  late  to  histowne  of  Calais  his  commissaries^ 
there  to  assemble  with  pe  commissaries  of  J^e  said  Duchesse  jr 
the  which  at  )>eir  meting  had  communicacon  upon  ye  ma- 

tiers  yat  [pei]  were but  greet  difficultees  caused  pat 

yei full  conclusion  as  the  King  hath  understande 

by  J>e  report  of  his  [said]  commissaries specially 

for  asmucli  as  nowe  late  J^e  Kingf  subgettf  have  been 
greetly  troubled  and  vexed  in  ]>e  said  Dukf  countre  in 
their  bodies  and  goodf  holdeii  under  arrest  committed  to 
prison  and  many  of  J'eim  grevously  and  fuS  cruelly  en- 

tretid  directly  ayenst  J?e  [ ]  of  I>e  said  treues  v  in 

the  which  matiers  )>e  commissaries  of  }>e  said  Duchesse 
affermed  )>at  J^ei  had  not  in  charge  nor  were  instruct  to 
speke  p]eof .  •  .  promitted  J^ai  wolde  make  reporte  of  J^aim 
to  )>e  said  Due  and  also  putte  thaim  in  J^eir  devoir  pat  pat 

matier  and  opJ  e  delivered  to writing  shulde 

be  answered  toy  if  J^e  King  wolde  sende  toj^e  said  Duchesse 
afore  )>e  furst  day  of  Septembre  next  commyng.  Where- 
fore  the  Kyng  contynuyng  his  good  wiS  and  desire 
abovesaid  sendith  at  this  tyme  to  ]>e  said  Duchesse  to 
))entent  J^at  ^e  said  matiers  and  o]nr  may  be  eased. 

And  hereupon  make  requeste  ^at  \>e  persones  of  pe 
said  marchauntf  with  J^eir  goodf  be  putte  at  fuB  fredom 
withoute  [y]  any  arrest  or  restraint  be  made  pie  upoii  or 
any  empechement  or  lett  yeven  to  j>e  said  marchauntf  in 
disposicon  of  ])air  said  goodf  or  in  paymenlf  to  be  made 
to  hem  by  J>e  Dukf  subgettf  of  such  goodf  or  dettf  as 
yei  owe  to  the  said  marchauntf. 

Item  the  said  ambassiatours  shaS  mowe  say  yat  J'ogb 
it  had  be  see  yat  any  thing  were  doon  or  attemptated 
ayenst  ^^e  said  treues  by  ye  subgettf  either  of  ye  King 


78  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449. 

or  of  ]>e  Due  j  it  ne  were  nor  is  lawfuS  to  e  partie  ayeinst 
whome  it  were  so  attemptid  in  semble  wise  to  committe 
and  offende  ]fe  trewe  j  but  make  request  for  repacon  J^ieof 
like  as  'pe  trewes  conteigned^  wherein  for  ]>e  Kingf  partie  if 
any  thing  hat&  opir  wise  be  doon  Jeanne  ougfiity  ]fei  ben  redy 
to  entende  to  repacon  if  yat  ofj  party  lust  to  do  ]>e  same. 
And  so  ]>e  said  ambassiatours  instantly  shall  aske  afore 

aH  thing  hole  restitucon  of  J)e  goodf  of  J^e  Kingf 

being  there  imder  arrest  in  ]>e  obeisance  of  )>e  said  Due. 

Item  if  pe  said  ambassiatours  by  such  reasons  and 
meanes  as  semeth  unto  theim  necessarie  j  shall  not  mowe 
optaigne  delivaunce  and  restitucon  of  J^e  said  marchauntf 
and  goodf  j  })ai  shall  mowe  say  J^ai  be  redy  to  have  knowlege 
of  ]?e  hurtf  ]?at  be  pretended  doon  to  the  said  Dukf  sub- 
gettf  and  to  what  siime  J^ai  extende  j  the  which  hadde  by 
suche  meanes  and  proves  as  shaB  be  pougbt  resonable  to 
the  said  ambassiatours  j  psi  shall  mowe  promitt  in  }>e  Kingf 
name  J^at  it  shatt  be  deuly  assithed  for  }>e  said  somme.  And 
yf  o)>ir  suertee  be  disired^  ]>e  said  ambassiatours  shall  mowe 
say  if  pat  o)>ir  partie  thinke  it  be  for  ]7eim  to  kepe  so 
much  of  pe  English  marchauntf  goodf  as  pe  said  sumes 
drawith  too  undre  arrest  j  )?ai  may  not  say  nay  j  but  J?ay 
shall  straunge  [)?aim]  to  consent  therto  j  yit  rather  }>anne 
rupture  shulde  sewe  ]m  shaS  consent  and  appoint  pat  it 
so  be  to  thentent  J^at  pe  marchauntf  and  their  goodf  be 
frely  delivered  y  so  )^t  marchandise  may  have  cours  for  pe 
profit  of  boith  sydes. 

Item  in  cas  pat  the  goodf  whereof  )>at  othir  partie 
desireth  restitucon  be  not  paventure  for  absence  of  pe 
partie  or  o]nr  causes  j  not  declared  nor  provid  j  but  aske 
a  delay  j  the  said  ambassatours  as  above  shall  sufire  or 
consent  )>at  suche  a  somme  of  EngliBsh  marchauntf  good^ 
remaigne  undre  arrest  as  shall  be  pogbt  to  J^air  discreconn 


14490  27  HENRY  VI.  79 

to  J^entent  J^at  pe  Englisslb  marchauntf  may  have  entre- 
cours  of  iDarchandise. 

Item  furthermore  the  saide  ambassatours  shalt  mowe 
saje  that  it  is  not  unknowen  unto  the  saide  Duches  that 
afore  J'is  tyme  thentrecours  of  marchandise  hath  had  his 
place  betwix  ]>e  Kingf  people  landes  It  lordeshippes  and 
ye  people  landes  and  lordeshippes  ^e  j  the  which  hatti  be 
to  greet  profite  and  welfare  of  both  parties  and  gretely 
cherisshid  love  and  frendeship  on  both  sides  j  and  )>e  King 
is  wel  content  and  alway  hath  be  to  doo  his  part  yat  alle 
Kng  be  as  it  aught  w^oute  any  noveltees  be  had  in  his 
side  J  ]nnking  y  )>at  opi  ptie  sholde  do  ]fe  same  y  and  pj  for 
he  mervailleth  what  sholde  sture  or  be  ]>e  causes  or  meenes 
of  sucfi  ordennaunce  and  prohibicons  as  been  now  made 
by  y>e  saide  Duchesse  ]>Bt  noon  Englissh  cloth  be  bought 
soldo  or  uttred  in  Hollande  Zellande  and  Brabande. 

Item  thay  shal  remembre  that  the  King  hath  sende  to 
the  saide  Duchesse  divs  tymes  for  revocacon  as  )?e  trewes 
wolde  p?of  V  and  where  as  she  certified  by  hir  writing 
and  paventure  wol  now  say  the  same  J?at  }>e  saide  orde- 
naunce  was  made  by  thavis  wille  or  aggrement  of  }>e 
marchauntf  of  the  staple  at  Calais  j  J^ay  shal  mowe  say  that 
it  canne  not  mowe  [so]  be  conteined  but  that  fully  ]>e 
marchauntes  of  the  staple  had  never  knowlech  pioi  j  for 
}>ei  had  in  examinacon  pJ  in  plainly  denied  it  j  and  ]>ough 
it  had  be  so  ^st  sum  of  the  saide  mchauntes  for  theire 
plesire  or  singuler  proffite  wolde  have  desired  such  a 
thing  ayenst  the  comune  weel  j  as  it  cannot  be  knowe  th^ 
King  wolde  not  have  supposed  }>at  ]>e  saide  Duchesse 
wolde  be  moeved  pJ with  v  and  sithen  pst  she  nowe 
kiioweth  wel  ])at  ]>e  King  is  not  nor  may  not  be  contente 
w^  so  prejudicial  a  J^ing  and  ayenst  ]>e  trewes  as  he  un- 
derstandeth  j  )?is  is  as  weB  to  his  subgittf  as  othr. 


80  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [144^9. 

Item  'pei  shal  mowe  remembr  J'at  aswel  in  ]?appointe- 
mentf  made  afore  this  tyme  betwixt  )?e  King  and  j^eim 
of  Holande  Zelande  Ic.  as  in  }>e  trewes  taken  by  my 
Lorde  of  Yorke  in  ]>e  Kinges  name  with  hit  c5missaries 
at  Roen  j  divs  tymes  sethen  proroged  j  it  is  conteigned 
expresly  }>at  alle  mchandise  shulde  firely  have  his  cours 
betwixt  both  parties  withouten  any  lette  or  desturbance. 

Item  'pe  same  is  also  conteigned  in  the  trewes  taken 
and  yet  enduring  betwixt  ]>e  King  and  his  uncle  of 
Fraunce  j  in  ]>e  which  pe  King  understandeth  pe  saide 
Duchesse  is  comprised  y  and  pjfor  not  withoute  cause  pe 
King  iSveilleth  of  J^e  saide  ordenaunce  so  ayenst  ]>e  frend- 
ship  }?at  pointementf  and  also  divs  trewes. 

Item  J?ei  shal  mowe  say  )?at  )?e  nature  of  trewes  wott 
and  is  ])entent  piofj  pat  alle  mchandise  shulde  have  his 
cours  and  iSchauntf  to  have  J?eir  coicacon  ech  w*  ojJ?  j  and 
[if]  it  so  were  pat  an  ordenaunce  might  be  made  for  pe 
stopping  of  00  man!  of  mchaundise  in  like  wise  it  might  be 
extended  to  a  nop]  v  and  so  to  all!  j  and  by  )>at  mene  alle 
jSchandise  cesse  and  pe  trewe  remaigne  of  noofl  eflfect 
nor  ease  to  pe  subgittf . 

Item  pe  saide  ordenaunce  is  ayenst  pe  custume  long 
time  ob#ved  j  for  it  canne  not  be  remembred  but  al  tymes 
it  hath  be  seen  and  used  Englissh  cloth  to  resorte  and  have 
utterance  in  Hollande  Zelande  and  Braband  where  it  is 
now  for  boden. 

Item  J?ei  shal  mowe  remembre  ]?at  for  pe  putting  a 
downe  and  setting  a  side  of  pe  saide  ordenaunce  j  pe  King 
bath  many  times  and  ofte  writen  to  pe  saide  Duchesse 
and  also  sent  notable  persones  with  credence  to  wille  and 
sture  hir  by  such  meanes  as  }>ei  coude  to  pe  revocacon 
flofj  and  yit  all]ns  notw*standing  it  is  not  pceived  )>at 
any  remedie  is  set  and  ordeined. 


144a3  ^  HENRY  VI.  81 

Item  thei  sfaal  mowe  sey  J^at  ]>e  King  for  thentier  love 
and  desire  ]>at  he  hath  to  ]>e  saide  Duchesse  v  hath  pro- 
ceded  in  roaD)  and  fourme  as  he  hat^  in  writing  and 
sending  divs  tymes  as  above  is  saide  j  and  used  no  rigour 
for  pe  remedie  of  'pe  saide  ordenaunce  notwithstanding 
paA  it  is  so  p^udiciai  as  it  is  v  and  ^for  he  trusteth  verily 
pat  she  considering  ]>e  honest  meanes  J^at  I'e  King  hath 
used  in  Jns  behalf  j  without  difficulte  wol  purvey  for  setting 
a  side  of  pe  saide  ordenaunce  withoute  more  delay  j  and 
80  gide  hir  J^at  pe  King  shal  have  no  cause  to  any  othr 
man!  of  proceding. 

Item  ]fei  shal  say  how  JTat  in  pe  last  parlement  )>e 
iij.  astates  of  )>e  lande  pete  assembled  j  ]>e  cdmunes  have 
grevously  complained  *  upon  J>e  saide  ordenance  j  in  so 
moch  ysit  with  grete  instaunce  it  is  passid  by  pe  saide 
parlement  for  a  decree  J^at  if  J^e  saide  ordenaunce  be  not 
leide  a  side  w^n  a  certain  tyme  ]>zt  p?e  shulde  no  Schan- 
dise  of  thobeisance  of  ]>e  Due  of  Bourgoigne  be  brought 
received  nor  accepted  in  this  lande  j  but  be  forfaited  in 
caas  it  be  brought  hider  [as  it  more  largly  is  conteignid 
in  the  acte  of  parlement  y  the  whiche  thei  shal  mowe 
declare  to  the  said  Due  or  Duchesse]  And  here  upon  J^ei 
shal  desire  and  require  pe  saide  Duchesse  }>at  pe  saide 
ordenance  be  anuUed  and  revoked  in  such  wise  as  the 
King  have  no  cause  to  precede  to  J?execucon  of  the  saide 
decree. 

Item  the  saide  comissaries  shaS  remembre  that  the 
yere  of  oure  [Lord]  a  m^.  ccccxlv.  the  ix.  day  of  Apritt  j  in 
the  towne  of  Bruges  j  were  made  Tt  appointed  betwix  the 
Kingf  c5missaries  and  J^e  c5misaries  of  Holland  Zelland 
Tt  Priseland  j  certaine  articles  pe  which  ]>e  saide  Due  hath 


1  Vide  Rot.  Pari.  vol.  v.  pp.  150,  151. 
VOL.  VI,  G 


82  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [144d. 

approved  ratified  Tt  confermed  j  and  amongf  o])?  thingf 

it  was  ordeined  \  appointed  that  Englisst  marchauntf 

shuld  have  had  in  recompense  of  theire  hurtf  \  wronges 

doon  to  thaim  by  men  of  Holland  Zelland  1  Friseland  a 

rertaine  some  of  money  to  have  be  paied  at  certain  dayes^ 

and  if  any  defaute  happed  or  were  in  paiement  pjof  or 

any  pte  thereof  y  thanne  it  shuld  be  lawefuH  to  )?e  saide 

EnglissR   merchauntf    to   arrest  the   saide    Hollanders 

Zellanders  ^  Frises  theire  goodis  and  shippes  and  kepe 

]?aim  and  aliene  J^e  saide  goodf  til  the  fuH  contentement 

of  ]7e  saide  somes  witti  costf  and  damages  after  )?e  dis- 

crecons  of  J>e  Kingf  c5missaries  j  and  oV  J^at  resorte  to 

theire  hole  accons  that  J^e  saide  Englissh  merchant^  had 

before  ayenst  J?e  saide  HoUaders  Zellanders  1  Frises  j  fe 

whicR  )?ingf  more  at  large  appere  in  thappointementf 

made  jTieupoil.  And  sith  it  is  soo  that  J^e  saide  dayes  of 

paiement  ben  not  kept  but  J^at  J^ai  ben  past  and  also 

divse  T:  many  delayes  desired  by  J?e  saide  Duchesse  j  the 

comissaries  abovesaide  shall  aske  and  require  redy  con* 

tentemt  of  J^e  saide  somes  due  w*  damagf  It  costf  made 

in  J^at  behalf y  to  the  whict  if  Jmt  op?  ptie  wott  condescende 

J?e  King  is  content  y  ]?e  saide  appointementf   remaigne 

\  be  obfved  as  fey  were  accorded. 

And  if  it  be  soo  J^at  opi  ptie  wott  not  entende  J?] to 
nor  appointe  the  contentement  of  ]?e  saide  s5me  j  J>e  saide 
comissaries  shatt  lat  ]?aym  wite  in  J^e  Kingf  behalf  his 
wille  is  l)at  his  subgittf  have  It  rejoice  J^e  benefet  of  ))e 
saide  appointementf  l?at  was  made  T:  accorded  if  ^f% 
money  were  not  paied  at  ]7e  dayes  accorded  ^  and  also 
]>at  ]?ai  be  admitted  to  have  hoole  restitucon  of  J?e  goodf 
take  from  )»im  aft  )?effect  of  J^e  saide  appointementf. 

Item  the  saide  comissaries  shaB  use  tharticles  above- 
saide witEi  such  direccioii  and  circumstancf  as  God  It 
]>aire  discrecons  woH  yeve  )>aim. 


1449.]  27  HENRY  VI.  83 

Item  the  saide  ambassatours  shatt  say  pBx  ben  redi  to 
entende  and  pcede  in  frendly  wise  as  lawe  and  reason 
woB  y  to  the  reformacon  of  attemptatf  j  1  pi  upon  be  redy 
to  receyve  It  here  the  complaintz  of  bott  sides  It  auns^ 
sweres  to  ]7aim  "It  do  thaire  pte  to  understonde  the 
trouthe  of  )>e  saide  complayntf  by  due  T:  lawful!  ex- 
amynacouy  J^at  is  to  say^  ]?ai  shall:  see  whoo  it  is  p^ 
complaynetli  ^  whej^ir  he  be  pie  in  his  owne  psone  or 
by  what  auctorite  he  apperitb  v  and  admitte  no  complainte 
w'out  ye  complaigner  have  sufficient  power. 

Item  |>ei  shaff  in  examynyng  "pe  mats  j  receyve  ^  ad- 
mitte sucll  proves  as  lawe  woHy  not  yevyng  feitft  to 
thafiermacion  of  ]>e  ptie  nor  to  Ires  tesiioiall  of  citees 
townes  or  officers  y  neip?  to  private  writyngf  j  but  to  wit^ 
nesses  duely  examyned  j  confession  of  pe  pties  j  open  in- 
strumentf  j  open  knowlache  of  )>e  dede  j  or  6^  proves 
suche  as  pe  lawe  woH  admitte  or  such  as  it  shaB  be 
{^ougM  to  ])eire  discrecons  sufficient. 

Item  for  asmuche  as   it  is  supposed  }>at  J^e    Kingf 

subgittf   upoii    whom    ]>e  complaintz   ben   1  shatt   be 

made  woS  not  be  psentv  the  saide  ambassatours   shaB 

mowe  saye  J^ai  ben  redy  not  withstanding  thabsence  of 

pe  ptie  to  hiere  J^eire  complaintz  to  fele  1  receyve  J>e 

proves  in  pat  ptie  j  %  soo  shaB  mowe  do  1  comune  and 

debate  pe  matier  as  shaB  be  }H)ug1&t  to  J^aire  discrecons  j 

absteynyng  J>aim  in   aB  p^  ]?ai  may  to   condescende  1 

yeve  anyjugement  or  sentence  ayenst)?e  ptie  so  absent 

JiougllL  it  be  jK)uglit  mat  clerely  proved  v  but  if  it  so  be 

pat  for  pe  better  pceding  in  othir  mars  or  to  eschewe 

rupture  or  ops  inconveniences  it  shaB  be  pouglSt  to  the 

said  ambassatours  necessarie  and  behovefuB  to  pcede  It 

yeve  suche  sentence.   And  in  p^  cas  }>ai  shaB  sai  J^ai  woB 

g2 


84.  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449- 

reporte  it  to   J>e  King  to  J^at  entent  )>at  execucion  be 
made  as  jfe  caas  shaS  requyre. 

Item  if  it  shall  be  semed  expedient  to  the  saide  am- 
bassatourf  thay  shall  mowe  appointe  another  tyme  for  a 
genial  reparacon  of  attemptatis  c5mitted  by  both  pties 
as  it  shaS  be  semed  to  J^aim  moost  behovefiill. 

Item  for  asmuclb  as  by  the  noon  utteraunce  of  the 
woUes  growen  in  this  lande  not  oonly  J?e  King  is  greetly 
hurt  in  his  custumes  and  subsidies  but  also  )>e  comune^ 
of  his  lande  growers  of  pe  saide  woUes  j  the  which  noon 
utteraunce  is  understande  causid  by  pe  direccion  and 
reules  not  moost  pfitable  usid  in  ]>e  staple  at  Calais  j  ]>e 
saide  ambassatours  shall  have  coicacon  w^  }>e  saide 
estaple  and  call  to  J^aire  remembraunce  J^at  at  sucti  tyme 
as  nowe  late  in  the  parlement  ]?e  Maire  of  ]>e  saide 
estaple  sewid  to  optaigne  certain  articles  for  J>e  wele  1 
ease  of  ]>e  saide  estaple  j  he  pmittid  in  }>e  name  of  his 
feliship  psit  at  sucR  tyme  as  )?e  King  wolde  sende  to 
Calais  his  comissaries  j  ]>e  saide  Maire  %  feleship  shulde 
be  redy  to  entende  to  ]?e  puttyng  aside  [of]  such  J?ingf 
as  lette  J^e  saide  utteraunce  It  to  ordeigne  and  stablissEi 
good  reules  for  bett  utteraunce  to  be  hadde  j  as  it  ap- 
perith  by  ]>e  Ires  sent  fro  J>e  saide  feliship  to  J?aire 
Maire  It  by  }?acte  of  parlement.  Wherefor  J>e  saide  am- 
bassatours havyng  coicacon  w^  J^e  saide  Maire  and 
spialy  w*  J^aim  J^at  undrestande  J^em  best  and  have 
moost  experience  in  ]>e  saide  matiers  j  shall  stere  require 
and  also  c5maunde  )>at  J^ai  entende  effectuelly  to  al 
man!  good  reules  It  meanes  ]?at  shatt  be  J)ouglit  behovefult 
for  )>e  saide  utteraunce. 

Item  if  it  be  soo  ]?at  ]?e  quatremebres  of  Flaundres 
wil  for  J^e  bettre  meanes  of  utteraunce  of  woll  to  be 


1449.]  27  HENRY  VI.     '  ,  SS 

hadde  j  come  to  Calais  to  have  coicacion  with  pe  saide 
Maire  and  feliship  j  the  saide  ambassatours  shaB  wil  and 
also  comaunde  theym  }?at  pey  honestly  and  frenly 
comune  w*  J^aim  and  here  thaym  pacienlJy  and  wele 
coDsidre  thofires  yat  ]>3i  vfiH  make^  and  J^at  ]>e  saide 
estaple  make  to  thaim  sucli  ofires  as  \mm  shaS  )>ink 
expedients  and  the  saide  ambassatours  shall!  entende 
appointe  and  conclude  with  J^e  saide  quatremembres 
suche  ]>ingf  as  shall  be  )>oght  to  ])aim  and  to  dp]  named 
in  )?aire  comissioii  necessarie  and  behovefuB. 

Km  thei  shall  use  thordre  abovesaid  yf  it  shal  be 
thought  to  Jjeime  so  expedient  or  ett  oon  article  before 
a  no})?  as  it  shaS  be  thought  to  peire  discrecon  moost 
necessarie  and  behovefull.  In  wittenesse  whereof  to  })i8 
pnt  instruccon  pe  Kyng  our  said  souvain  lord  hath  do 
be  putte  his  greet  and  prive  sealx.  Yeven  at  Westm  pe 
XXX.  day  of  JuiS  the  yerof  pe  regne  of  the  same  ou? 
souvain  lord  xxvij***. 

Lecta  concordat  et  conclusa  anno  die  mense  et  loco 
supMictis  de  mandato  Regis  p  avisamentum  sui 
consilii  v  pnl  dnis  Car^*  Cancel!  Cicestren  Custod 
pVati  sigilli  Abbate  Gloucestrie  Duddeley  Ic*. 

Langport. 


G  3 


80  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1449. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  vi.  f.  420  b.  Original. 
Ordinances  of  the  King,  dated  18th  August,  27  Hen. VI.  1449.] 

The  King  at  Brayneford  the  xviij.  day  of  Aust  the 
yere  ^c.  xxvij.  wolde  and  comaunded  warraunt  ta  be 
made  in  due  fourme  [undre  prive  seel]  unto  the  Tresorer 
and  Chambleins  of  theschequy  er  to  receyve  of  J^executours 
of  Henri  late  Cardinal  of  Englande  suche  of  the  Kingf 
jeuelx  as  the  said  late  Cardinal  had  in  gage  for  the  s5me 
of  ij.  m^.  xL  li.  and  to  make  assignement  to  ]>e  said  ex- 
ecutours  of  the  said  ij.  m^xl.  ti.  upon  the  dissie  furst 
part  of  the  half  disme  graunted  unto  hs  the  King  in  the 
last  convocacon  j  at  suche  place  to  be  taken  as  pe  said 
executours  wol  be  content  w*. 

Item  the  King  wol  that  after  the  said  Tresorer  and  Cham* 
bleins  have  receyved  the  said  jeuelx  j  that  thay  delivre 
thaim  by  endenture  unto  Reynold  abbot  of  Gloucestre  and 
Thomas  Maunselt  squyer  j  thay  to  engage  thaim  for  as 
grete  a  some  as  thay  shal  mowe  chevisshe  ]>J  upon. 

Item  where  as  for  to  aide  the  King  in  setting  forth 
of  J^armees  the  whiche  the  Lord  Powys  the  Lord 
Zouches  sone  and  i  Robert  Veere  knight  shal  lede  j  my 
Lord  of  Canterbury  hath  pmissed  to  leiie  the  King  c.  IL 
my  Lord  of  Suff  m^.  li.  in  jeuelx  j  my  Lord  Prive  Seel 
v*".  K.  in  plate  [to  be  engaged  jj  the  King  wol  y  the  said 
Tresorer  and  Chamhleins  make  assignementf  for  repay- 
ment of  the  said  some  of  c.  ti.  and  also  for  thacquityng 
of  ]>e  said  jeuelx  and  plate  unto  the  said  my  Lordf  of 
Suff  and  Prive  Seel  frely  to  be  delivred  upon  the  xv"*. 
and  disme  graunted  unto  the  King  in  )>e  last  parlement  and 


1  The  King's  autograph. 


1440.]  27,  28  HENRY  VI.  8? 

convocacon  or  of  pcett  J>?of  suche  as  thay  and  eviche  of 
thaim  wol  be  content  w^  j  and  that  ])eire  assignementf  so 
to  be  made  be  in  no  wise  chaunged  afterwardf .  And  [to] 
})entent  that  the  said  Tresorer  and  Chaumblains  shal 
mowe  wel  understande  and  knowe  that  it  is  the  Kingf 
Ml  wilt  and  c5maundement  that  the  «d44  thingf  abovesaid 
and  everch  of  thaim  be  fully  doofi  and  executed  v  the 
King  hatl&  signed  this  act  w^  his  owen  hande. 


Acta  de  Anno  Vicesimo  octavo. 

[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  ^*   a  modern  Tramcrqn, 

Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  16th  November,  28  Hen.  VL 

1449.] 

To  the  King  oure  souverayne  lord. 

It.  xl. 

Besecheth  mekely  the  Lord  Beauchamp  maistre  of 
youre  hors  j  that  it  please  you  to  graunte  yowere  gracious 
letters  under  youre  prive  seell  to  the  Tresorer  and 
Barons  of  youre  eschequer  direct  j  commaundyng  theyme 
be  the  seide  letters  duely  to  accounte  with  the  saide 
Lord  Beauchamp  maister  of  your  hors  be  his  oothe  or 
be  the  oothe  of  his  depute  sufBsaunt  alsewell  of  all 
maner  of  tnoneye  be  the  saide  Lord  Beauchamp  or  be 
his  depute  received  fro  the  xv*^.  day  of  Feverier  the 
yere  of  youre  regne  xxvij.  unto  this  tyme  charged  j  as 
of  alle  maner  hors  be  the  saide  Lord  Beauchamp  or  be 
his  deputees  duryng  this  tyme  unto  youre   use  with- 

^  The  King's  autograph. 

G    ^ 


gg  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [IU9. 

ynne  youre  reme  of  England  purveied  and  bought  j  and 
of  alle  manere  sadill  and  bridell  and  alle  other  har- 
neyses  longyng  unto  his  office  be  the  saide  Lord  Beau-* 
camp  or  be  his  deputee  unto  youre  use  receyved  j  raakyng 
unto  the  said  Lord  Beauchamp  be  the  same  ooth  due 
allouance  alsewell  of  all  maner  moneye  be  the  saide 
Lord  Beauchamp  or  be  his  deputee  of  youre  Tres(Mrer 
of  England  for  the  accate  and  purveaunce  for  the  said 
hors  receyved  j  and  also  for  dyvers  hors  be  yow  to  dyvers 
persones  withynne  youre  reme  of  Englande  yoven  and  be 
the  said  Lord  Beauchamp  to  youre  Aulmoner  delyvered  j 
and  of  alle  maner  of  hors  deed  yn  moreyne  j  and  also 
for  all  manere  of  costages  and  expenses  be  the  said  Lord 
Beauchamp  or  be  his  deputees  made  aboute  the  per- 
veaunces  and  the  accates  of  the  said  hors  bought  and 
purveied  yn  dy verse  plases  as  hit  ys  above  rehersed^^ 
and  of  all  manere  sadill  and  brydell  and  alle  othir 
harneis  longyng  unto  the  office  of  the  saide  Lord 
Beauchamp  be  you  yoven  and  yn  youre  servise  perused 
duryng  the  tyme  above  saide  ^  and  also  for  to  allowe 
paper  parchement  and  alle  othir  thynges  long3mg  unto 
his  accounte  as  ned  ys  ^  as  hit  hath  be  allowed  unto  othir 
divers  personys  maistres  of  the  hors  of  youre  ryght  noble 
progenytours  afor  this  tyme. 

Lettre    ent  feust   fie  a  Loundres   le   xvj.  jour    de 
Novembr  Ian  Itc.  xxviij. 

(In  dorso.)  To  the  reverend  fader  in  God  oure  right  trusty 
and  welbeloved  the  Bisshop  of  Chichestre  keper  of  oure 
prive  seel. 


1449.3  28  HENRY  VI.  89 

llUd.  art.  86. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  28th  November,  28  Hen.VI.  1449.] 

Henri  Itc.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  *lc. 
grating  j  Sith  it  is  so  that  the  reverend  fadre  in  God 
cure  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Bisshop  of  Chichestre 
keper  of  oure  prive  sealle  is  in  oure  ambassiate  v^ 
other  at  this  time  by  us  ordeigned  to  assemble  with 
thambassatours  of  the  Kinge  of  Scottes  at  Dureham 
for  the  good  of  pees  with  Goddes  mercy  to  be  had  and 
concluded  betwix  this  oure  reaume  and  ye  reaume  of 
Scotlande^  in  whose  absence  we  have  assigned  oure 
trusty  and  welbeloved  chapelain  the  Dean  of  Poules  to 
have  the  gouvemaunce  of  thoflBce  and  keping  of  oure 
said  prive  seal  j.  taking  by  the  consent  of  the  said  reverent 
fadre  during  the  said  absence  xx.  s.  by  day  for  wages  dayly 
longing  to  the  said  office .;  We  wol  and  charge  you  that 
in  partie  of  paiement  of  the  charges  costes  and  expenses 
that  he  hath  borne  during  the  said  time^  ye  do  paie 
of  our  tresour  xxiiij.  li.  in  redy  paiement  in  hande. 
Yeven  Ic.  within  oure  citee  of  London  at  the  Blake 
Freres  ye  xxviij**.  day  of  Novembr  the  yere  of  our  regne 
xxviij**. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  advisamentum  Consilii. 

T.  Kent. 

[Ibid.  art.  GO.  4th  December,  28  Hen.VI.  1449.] 

HsNRY  tc.  to  the  Tresourer  and  Chamblains  of  oure 
eschequier  greting  j  For  as  moche  as  oure  right  trusty 
and  right  welbeloved  cousin  Richard  due  of  York  is 
w%olde  towardes  us  by  endenture  beringe  date  at  Westm 
the  XXX.  day  of  Juitt  the  yere  of  oure  regne  xxv.  to 
have  the  gouvernement  of  oure  lande  of  Irlande  for 


90  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [l*5a 

X.  yere  yanne  next  folowing  4  for  the  whiche  he  sholde 
take  of  us  for  the  first  yere  iiij.  m^  marc  j  and  for 
everiche  of  the  remanant  of  ye  saide  x,  yere  ij.  m^  marc  j 
to  be  paied  in  maner  and  fourme  conteigned  in  the 
saide  endentures  ^  We  wol  and  charge  you  yat  in  partie 
of  paiement  of  suche  sommes  of  money  as  ben  due  unto 
oure  said  cousin  for  ye  saide  cause  4  ye  doo  make  unto 
him  payement  or  sufficient  assignement  of  m^  cc  ti. 
Yeven  Ic,  at  the  Frere  Prechours  ye  iiij.  day  of  Decembr 
the  yere  Ttc.  xxviiij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii  j  pnC 
dnis  Car*'  Cancett  Sufif  T:c. 

T.  Kent 

[iWa.  art.  62.  11th  February,  28  Hen.Vl.  1450.] 

Henri  Ttc.  to  ye  Tresorer  and  Chamberlayns  of  oure 
eschequier  gretyng  j  We  wol  and  charge  you  that  unto 
oure  welbeloved  Johan  Abery  ye  which  from  oure  right 
dere  and  welbeloved  cousyns  ye  Duke  of  Somers  1c. 
and  y'Erle  of  Shrovesbury  hath  broght  us  certajrne 
tithyngs^  ye  delyvere  of  oure  tresour  v,  marcs  to  be 
had  and  taken  of  oure  yift  by  way  of  reward.  Yeven 
1c.  at  Westm  ye  xj.  day  of  Feverer  ye  yere  1c.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Domini  Cancel!  et  ad  relationem  Domini 
Cusl  Privati  Sigilii  1c. 

T.  Kent. 

[Ibid,  art.  64.  17th  February^  and  apparently  in  the  28th  Hen.  VI. 

1450.] 

By  the  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  asmoch  as  it  is  openly 
and  universelly  known  througli  oute  this  oure  lande  j  and 
among  other  to  you  ^   as  we  conceive  wel  by  ccrtaine 


145a]  28  HENRY  VI.  91 

letters  that  but  late  agoo  were  sent  unto  you  ^  the  which 
ye  as  oure  trewe  subgittz  withoute  delay  sent  unto  us  j 
wherof  we  can  you  right  goode  thanke  y  that  greet  labour 
and  bisinesse  is  doon-  and  in  doing  under  untrewe 
fained  and  pretense  colores  of  entending  to  the  comune 
weel  of  this  oure  lande  j  where  as  God  knoweth  thentent 
of  thoo  that  so  labour  is  to  the  subversion  therof  ^  to 
make  assembles  and  gadering  of  oure  subgitz  of  this 
lande  ayenst  oure  entent  and  ayenst  oure  lawe  and 
proclamations  late  made  according  to  oure  saide  lawes. 
We  with  the  grace  of  our  Lorde  entending  as  it  belongeth 
unto  us  to  lette  restraigne  and  rebuke  the  said  unlief* 
full  unlaiefull  and  ungodly  purpose  write  unto  you 
willing  and  also  charging  you  y^  ye  no  faith  nor  cre- 
dence yeving  to  writings  letters  or  sending  of  any  per- 
sone  of  what  degree  condition  or  astate  that  ever  he  be  to 
thentent  of  any  such  gaderings  not  commanded  by  us 
under  oure  greet  or  privie  seel  or  under  oure  signett  or 
of  such  as  be  remembred  and  specified  in  oure  said 
proclamations  y  sufire  no  gaderings  or  assembles  to  be 
made  among  you  j  nor  receive  into  oure  towne  admitte 
or  herborgh  any  routes  or  assembles  of  oure  subgitts 
w^out  oure  commandement  gadered  or  assembled  ^  And 
faillith  not  herein  as  oure  trust  is  on  you  and  as  ye 
woll  shewe  and  prove  you  our  faithfuU  and  trewe  sub- 
gitts. Yeven  under  oure  prive  seel  at  Westm  the 
xvij.  day  of  Feverer. 

To  ye  Mair  and  baillieffs  of  oure  citee  of  Canterbury. 

To  y®  Portreve  and  inhabitaunce  of  oure  towne  of 
Maidestan. 

To  ye  Mair  and  aldermen  of  oure  towne  of  Col- 
chestre. 

To  the  Mair  and  bailliffs  of  Sandewich. 


92  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1450. 

To  the  Mair  baillifis  and  commyne  of  cure  towne 
of  Oxinford. 

To  y®  bailleffs  burgeis  and  commons  of  Wynchelsey, 

To  the  Maire  bailleffs  and  commaltee  and  inhabi- 
tants of  y^  toune  of  Sudbury. 

llbid.  art.  6S.  9th  May,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henry  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  England  and  of 
Fraunce  and  Lord  of  Irlande  to  the  Tresorer  and 
Chamberlains  of  oure  eschequyer  greting  j  For  asmoche 
as  we  sende  at  this  tyme  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved 
Maister  Thomas  Kent  doctor  of  both  lawes  and  clerc 
of  oure  counsaill  in  oure  ambassiate  j  as  well  to  oure 
towne  of  Calais  for  to  mete  with  th'ambassatours  of  the 
Duk  of  Borgoigne  for  reparation  of  attemptats  ^  as  unto . 
tharchbisshop  of  Coloyne  for  suche  matiers  as  we  have 
charged  him  with  in  yat  partie  j  We  wol  and  charge  you 
yat  unto  ye  said  Maister  Thomas  ye  paye  dayly  wages 
of  XX.  s.  for  a  quartre  of  yere  j  to  have  by  way  of  reward 
for  his  costes  and  expenses  in  yat  partie.  Yeven  Ic.  at 
Leycestre  the  ix.  day  of  May  the  yere  1c.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  Consilii  sui. 

Langport. 

llbid.  art.  61. 17th  May,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  We  late  you  Mrite  that 
we  have  understande  by  sup^"*  of  oure  right  trusty  and 
entierly  welbeloved  cousin  Richard  due  of  York  how 
that  he  ye  xxix.  day  of  Septembre  the  xxvj.  yere  of 
oure  regne  by  writing  endented  was  reteigned  in  oure 
service  to  be  oure  lieutenant  in  oure  land  of  Irland  for 


USa]  28  HENRY  VI.  93 

ye  saufgard  of  ye  same  by  ye  space  of  x.  yere  yanne 
next  folowing  j  taking  therefore  ye  first  yere  of  ye  same 
X.  yere  iiij.  m^  marc  and  every  other  yere  thereafter 
m^  m^  li*  by  ye  handes  of  ye  Tresourier  and  Chambre- 
lains  of  oure  eschequier  for  ye  tyme  being  j  in  certain 
fourme  as  in  yendentures  of  ye  said  reteigner  made 
more  plainly  it  appereth  ^  of  which  s5mes  annuel  there 
is  due  to  oure  said  cousin  iiij.  m^.  dcc.  marcs  4  And  over 
thees  there  is  due  to  oure  said  cousin  the  some  of 
vj,  m*.  li.  and  more  of  his  certain  annuites  wherin  he  is 
enherit  to  be  paide  in  oure  portes  of  London  and  Hull 
and  at  the  receipt  of  oure  eschequier^  to  right  greet 
hindering  and  grevous  damage  of  ye  same  oure  cousin  j 
as  he  saith  4  by  cause  wherof  and  for  ye  non  payment  of 
ye  said  wages  he  hath  right  greedy  empoverisshed  him- 
self by  chevysance  of  good  and  otherwise  as  it  is  said  v 
Wherefore  we  considering  ye  premisses  j  wol  and  charge 
you  that  under  oure  prive  seel  being  in  youre  warde  ye 
do  make  oure  Ires  of  warrant  souffisant  and  in  due 
fourme  directed  unto  oure  said  Tresourier  and  Chambre- 
lains  of  oure  eschequier  charging  thayme  to  do  paye 
unto  oure  said  cousin  in  al  goodly  hast  al  ye  said  somes 
of  money  in  fourme  above  said  to  him  due  ^  and  to  make 
him  redy  payment  herafter  of  his  wages  j  after  ye  fourme 
of  ye  said  endentures  during  ye  said  tyme  of  his  re- 
teigner in  oure  service  t/  and  thees  oure  Ires  shal  be 
youre  warrant.  Yeven  under  oure  signet  at  oure  castle 
of  Leycestre  the   xvij.  day  of  May  the  yere  of  oure 

regne  xxviij. 

Repynghale. 

(/n  dorso,)  To  cure  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  clerc  Maister 
Andrew  Holes  keper  of  oure  prive  seeL 


94  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1450. 

llbid.  art.  96.  23rd  June,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henrt  T:c.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  1c. 
For  as  much  as  oure  welbeloved  squyer  Thomas  Vaghan 
maist'  of  our  ordenaunce  hath  as  he  sayd  purveid  and 
ordained  certain  stuff  of  ordenaunce  which  the  xx.  day 
of  Juyn  was  brought  with  us  into  the  feelde  j  that  is  to 
say  J  furst  ij.  serpentynes  and  j.  culverien  with  ix.  cham- 
bres  and  cc.  shott  of  stones  and  lede  j  the  price  c^ 

Item  V.  grete  rebawdkins  redy  for  the  seid  feld  with 
X.  chambres  j  price  the  pece  iiij.  G. 

Item  iiij.  greter  rebawdkins  w^  iiij.  chambres  j  price  the 
pece  c". 

Item  ij.  cartes  for  the  said  ordenance  with  xxx.  persons 
of  gonners  carpenters  smiths  masons  waiting  upon  the 

said  ordenance  by  iij.  days  j  w^  draweth  to  the  some  of 

••••It 

lUJ^ 

Item  j.  barel  of  culverin  poud'  weing  xxx.  1.^  pricey* 
t.  XX.  d. 

Item  ij.  barel  of  gonpoud'  conteignyng  ciij.  1.  j  price 
y*  t.  xij.  d.  J  which  in  al  the  hole  amounte  to  the  some  of 
xlvj.  t.  xiij". 

We  therefore  wol  and  charge  you  that  unto  the  said 
Thomas  Vaghan  ye  make  gode  and  redy  payment  or 
sufficient  assignment  of  the  said  some  of  xlvj.  t.  xiij.  s. 
to  have  it  of  us  be  way  of  a  prest  for  the  cause 
abovesaid. 

Yeven  Itc.  at  Westmthe  xxiij"^*.  day  of  Juyn  the  yere 
tc.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  concilii  sui. 

T.  Kent 


14500  28  HENRY  VL  95 

I3id.  art  42.  SOth  June,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henri  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
exchequier  greting  j  For  suche  causes  and  considerations 
as  moeve  us  we  wol  and  charge  you  that  of  oure  tresore 
ye  employe  for  and  aboute  the  vitailling  of  oure  Towre 
of  London  and  suche  other  stufi^  as  is  necessarie  for  ye 
saufgard  yerof  the  some  of  c,  li.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm 
the  laste  day  of  Juyn  j  the  yere  %c.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

T.  Kent. 

llbid.  art.  46.  Ist  July,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henricus  Itc.  dilectis  et  fidelibus  suis  Thomas  Stanley 
militi  et  Thomse  Haryngton  militi  salutem  j  Sciatis  quod 
ob  certas  et  arduas  causas  nos  intime  concementes  assig- 
navimus  vos  conjunctim  et  divisim  ad  omnes  et  singulos 
ligeos  nostros  infra  com  Cestr  et  Lancasix  cujuscumq^ 
status  gradus  seu  conditionis  fuerint  ad  laborand  potentes 
melioribus  modis  quibus  poterunt  arraiari  armari  et 
muniri  et  eos  sic  arraiatos  armatos  et  munitos  in  arraia- 
tione  hujusmodi  teneri  faciend  ita  quod  ipsi  in  meli- 
oribus apparatibus  suis  continue  parati  existant  ad 
veniend  nobis  cum  pro  eis  duxerimus  mittend  ^  et  ideo 
vobis  mandamus  quod  circa  prsemissa  di]igenterintendatis 
et  ea  faciatis  et  exequamini  in  forma  praedicL  Damus 
autem  universis  et  singulis  ligeis  et  subditis  nostris  com 
pra&dictorum  tam  infra  libertates  quam  extra  tenore 
prassentium  firmiter  in  mandatis  quod  vobis  et  alteri 
vestrum  in  executione  praemissorum  intendentes  sint 
consulentes  auxiiiantes  et  obedientes  quociens  et  quando 
per  vos  seu  alterum  vestrum  ex  parte  nostra  fuerint  re- 
quisiti  j  In  cujus  rei  testimoniu  has  litteras  nostras  fieri 


96  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1450. 

fecimus  patentes.    DslI  Ic*  apud  Westm  primo  die  Julii 
anno  Itc.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

Zlbid.  art.  47.  12th  July,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henricus  Itc.  Cancellario  Itc.  salutem  j  Thesaurario 
suo  Angliae  vel  ejus  deputal  ac  dilecto  et  fideli  suo 
Thom»  Tyrell  militi  necnon  dilectis  sibi  Ricardo 
Waller  armigeris  et  Camerariis  Saccarii  sui  salutem. 
Sciatis  quod  nos  de  fidelitatibus  et  circumspectionibus 
vestris  plenius  confidentes  assignavimus  vos  conjunctim 
et  divisim  ad  omnia  et  singula  bona  catalla  jocalia  et 
pecuniarum  summas  quae  quidam  se  nominans  Johannem 
Mortymer  *  per  se  et  sibi  adherentes  in  com  Kane 
secum  detulit  et  apportavit  in  quorumcumq^  manibus 
existant  seu  inveniri  poteiint  tarn  infra  libertates  quam 
extra  pro  nobis  et  nomine  nostro  arestand  et  capiend  j  et 
ea  omnia  et  singula  sub  salva  et  secura  custodia  ad  opus 
nostrum  juxta  sanas  discretiones  vestras  ponend  et  quo 
vobis  melius  videbitur  ducend  et  transferend  j  et  tales  et 
tantas  summas  inde  talibus  personis  de  quibus  vobis 
visum  fuent  ad  utilitatem  nostram  et  regni  nostri  prae- 
sertim  circa  captionem  praedicti  Johannis  Mortymer  et 
sibi  adherentium  exponend.  £t  ideo  vobis  et  vestrum 
cuilibet  mandamus  quod  circa  praemissa  diligenter  inten* 
datis  et  ea  facial  et  exequamini  in  forma  praedicta. 
Damus  autem  universis  et  singulis  vicecomitibus  ma- 
joribus  ballivis  constabulariis  mynistris  ac  aliis  fidelibus 
ligeis  et  subditis  nostris  tam  infra  libertates  quam  extra 
tenore  praesentium  firmiter  in  man  datis  quod  vobis  et 


'  Vide  Fcedera,  vol.  xi.  p,  275,  and  the  next  article. 


1450.]  28  HENRY  Vf.  97. 

cuilibet  vestrum  in  executione  praemissorum  assistentes 
siDt  obedientes  auxiliantes  et  confortantes  in  omnibus 
diligenter.  In  cujus  ^c.  Dal  Itc.  apud  Westm  xij. 
die  Julii  anno  1c.  xxviij®. 

De  mandate  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

llbid.  art.  47.  14di  July,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henrt  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of 
oure  eschequer  greting  v  We  wol  and  charge  you  that  by 
all  the  weyes  and  meenes  to  you  possible  j  ye  putte  you 
withoute  delay  or  tarrying  in  youre  devoir  and  diligence 
for  to  recovere  take  and  recey  ve  alle  suche  goodes  as  that 
fals  traytour  oon  callyng  him  self  John  Mortymer  late 
brought  in  to  oure  towne  of  Rochester  or  that  in  any 
wyse  belonged  unto  him  be  it  gold  silver  in  coyne  or 
plate  clothes  of  gold  arras  or  any  other  good  what  ever  it 
be  J  the  whiche  so  recovered  hadde  take  and  receyved  by 
you  we  woll  yat  ye  so  reule  and  demene  it  as  it  may  be 
to  the  moost  profit  and  avayle  of  us  and  this  oure  lande  ^ 
and  faillith  not  herein  in  any  wise  as  ye  desire  the  good 
of  us  and  of  oure  saide  land.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  the 
xiiij.  day  of  Juitt  j  the  yere  1c.  xxviij**. 

De  mandate  Regis  per  avisamentum  Consilii. 

Langport. 

llbkL  art  44.  17th  July,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henry  1c.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains'  of  oure 
eschequer  greting  j  We  wol  and  charge  you  that  unto  oure 
ryght  trusty  and  welbeloved  clerc  Maistre  Andrewe 
Hooles  keper  of  oure  privie  seal  whom  late  agoo  we  by 
thadvis  of  oure  counsail  for  certaine  causes  sent  to  speke 

VOL.  VI.  H 


98  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1450. 

with  him  yat  called  him  capitaigne  of  Kent  whom  er  he 
couth  finde  he  sought  as  well  in  Sussex  as  in  Kent  j  ye 
doo  paye  x.  li.  to  have  of  oure  yefte  by  way  of  reward  for 
his  costes  and  expenses  in  yat  behalf  ^  also  we  wol  and 
charge  you  that  unto  the  same  Maistre  Andrew  nowe 
commyng  towards  us  with  certaine  letters  of  credence 
from  oure  counsaill  ye  doo  paye  of  oure  tresore  x.  li.  to 
have  of  oure  yefle  for  the  costes  and  expenses  that  he 
shall  here  and  susteigne  in  that  partie.  Yeven  1c.  at 
Westm  the  xvij.  day  of  Juytt  j  the  yere  Itc.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

Ubid.  art.  50.  18th  July,  28  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henry  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
exchequier .;  We  wol  and  charge  you  that  unto  all  yoo 
persones  and  everiche  of  hem  that  late  by  force  of 
oure  letters  of  commission  yede  unto  Rochestre  in  Kent 
for  to  arreste  certain  goodes  yat  were  late  in  ye  gover- 
naunce  of  oon  John  Mortimer  traitoure  callyng  himself 
capitaigne  of  Kent  and  to  other  persones  that  did  service 
to  ye  same  end  and  entent  ye  paie  for  the  costes  and 
expenses  yat  yai  have  borne  and  susteigned  in  yis 
behalf.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  ye  xviij.  day  of  Juill  j  the 
yere  Itc.  xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii  j  prae- 
sentibus  Dominis  Cancel!  Cant  WintofI  Custod 
privati  sigilli  Scales  Fastalf  *lc. 

Langport. 


liSaj  28  HENRY  VI.  99 

lllnd.  art.  45.  18th  July,  28  HeiuVI.  1450.] 

Ubnry  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
eschequier  gretyng  j  For  asmoch  as  oure  right  trusty  and 
welbeloved  clerc  Maistre  Andrewe  Holes  keper  of  oure 
privie  seal  hath  to  make  a  certaine  journey  in  oure 
service  and  is  distitut  of  hors  j  we  woU  and  charge  you 
that  unto  him  ye  delivere  by  waye  of  lone  for  the  said 
journey  vj.  hors  yat  late  that  traitour  calling  him  capi- 
taigne  of  Kent  hadde  and  nowe  been  in  youre  warde. 
Yeven  *lc.  at  Westm  ye  xviij.  day  of  Juill  j  the  yere  Ic. 
xxviij. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

ZIbkL  art.  65.  24th  Aagust,  28  Hen-VI.  1450.] 

H£NRY  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  Englande  and  of 
Fraunce  and  Lord  of  Irlande^  to  the  Tresorer  and 
Chamberlains  of  oure  excheqyer  greting  ^  For  asmoch 
as  in  tyme  passed  for  such  necessitees  as  we  then  had 
certayne  oure  jeulx  were  leyde  in  gage  •  for  a  certain 
somme  of  money  unto  the  moost  reverent  fadre  in  God 
John  archebisshop  of  Canterbury  and  other  of  thexe- 
cutours  of  the  Lord  Fanhop  passed  to  God./  among 
vrji^ch  jeuelx  oon  was  a  coler  called  Ikylford  coler 
which  lay  for  v*.  marc./  the  which  coler  at  oure  desire 
was  without  any  payement  or  assignement  of  the  said 
v*.'marc  delivered  ayen  unto  us  ayenst  the  coronation 
of  oure  moost  entierly  welbeloved  wyf  the  QueeneJ  we 
wol  and  charge  you  that  unto  the  said  moost  reverent 
fader  in  God  and  to  his  coexecutores  ye  doo  make  paye- 
memt  or  sufficient  assignement  of  y*  v^.  marc  abovesaid 

H  2 


100  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [14s5a 

as  reason  is,    Yeven  undre  oure  prive  seal  at  Westm 
the  xxiiij.  day  of  August  j  the  yere  of  oure  regne  xxviij. 

Langport. 

\Ibid.  art.  66.  25th  August,  28  Hen. VI.  1450.] 

Henry  1c,  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
eschequier  greting  ^  We  wol  and  charge  you  that  unto 
Artoys  king  of  armes  of  oure  right  trusty  and  wel- 
beioved  cousin  the  Duchess  of  Burgoigne  late  commyng 
towards  us  from  hir  with  certaine  letters  and  message 
ye  doo  paye  c.  §•  to  have  of  oure  yefte  by  waye  of  re- 
warde  for  ye  cause  abovesaide.  Yeven  Itc.  at  Westm 
ye  XXV.  day  of  Aust  •/  the  yere  1c.  xxviij. 


[iUi.  art.  67*  apparently  25th  August,   and  apparently  in  the 

28th  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Henry  Ic.  to  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  Thomas 
Tudeham  knight  keper  of  oure  greet  warderobe  greting^ 
We  wol  and  charge  you   that  unto  oon  Gerard  Boot 
monke  of  Chartrehouse  confessour  unto  the  Queue  of 
Scotts  nowe  being  in  oure  citee  of  London  ^  the  whiche 
late  was  spoyled  upon  the  see  by  oure  subgitts  as  he 
sayth  in  retoumyng  from  Scoteland  into  flandres  j  ye 
deliver  xx*^.  yerds  of  lyne  blakke    clothe   to  have  of 
oure  yifte  by  waye  of  rewarde  j  and  we  wol  that  thees 
letters  be  unto  you  hereinne  sufficient  warrant  and  yat 
by  the  same  ye  have  therof  due  allouaunce  in  youre 
accounte.    Yeven  Ic.  ut  supra. 


1450.]  28, 29  HENRY  VI.  JOl 

llbieL  art.  68-  apparently  25th  August,  28  Hen. VI.  14f50.] 

H£NRT  1c.  to  the  Tresourer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
eschequier  greting  j  For  asmoche  as  we  have  graunted 
unto  the  bailliefs  and  citezeins  of  oure  citee  of  Rochestr 
xl.  fi.  of  ye  goodes  that  that  fals  traitour  John  Cade 
calling  him  Mortymer  late  broughte  to  oure  saide  citee 
now  belonging  unto  us  by  way  of  forfaiture  for  to  make 
therwith  the  estgate  of  ye  same  citee  next  towards 
Caunterbury^  we  wol  and  charge  that  unto  William 
Appuldurfeld  for  and  in  the  name  of  ye  said  baillifs 
and  citezeins  and  to  ye  use  abovesaide  ye  delivre  the 
«aid  xl.  E,  to  have  of  oure  yefte  by  way  of  rewarde  for 
ye  said  cause.    Yeven  1c.  ut  supra. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii .;  prae- 
sentibus  Dominis  Cart  Cancett  Cantuarien  Lon- 
doii  Hereford  Duce  Buck  Thes  Rivers  "Ic. 

Langport. 


Acta  be  Anno  Vicesimo  nono. 

[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  43.   a  modern  Dranscripi, 

Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer^  dated 

Srd  October,  29  Hen.VI.  145a] 

Henri  by  ye  grace  of  God  King  of  Englande  and 
of  Fraunce  and  lord  of  Irlande  j  to  the  Tresorere  and 
Chamberlains  of  oure  eschequier  greeting  j  We  wol  and 
charge  you  that  unto  oure  right  trusty  and  right  wel- 
beloved  cousin  Edmond  duke  of  Somers  the  which  now 
late  toke  in  Kent  a  risare  ayenst  oure  pees .;  oon  John 
Smyth  that  called  himself  capitaigne  of  Kent  j  the  which 
made  yere  a  grete  gadering  of  people  ayenst  oure  pees 

H  3 


102  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [liSa 

and  contrarie  to  oure  lawes^  ye  paie  and  delivere  for 
that  cause  of  oure  reward  xl.U.  ^  and  also  for  asmoche 
as  we  sende  at  yis  tyme  ayene  unto  Kent  oure  said 
cousin  for  to  see  and  ordeigne  that  good  rest  and  pees 
be  among  oure  people  yere  and  to  chastise  ther  ye  con- 
trarie labourers  yerof  ^  we  wol  and  charge  you  that  for 
every  day  that  he  shal  so  be  in  oure  said  service  from 
the  day  of  his  departing  for  this  cause  from  London 
unto  the  day  of  his  retoume  ayen  to  London  eyther  day 
accounted  ^  ye  paye  and  delivere  to  him  of  oure  tresore 
XX.  marc  of  oure  reward  w^oute  any  other  accounte 
yelding  therfore^  savyng  only  of  a  certificat  undre  his 
seal  to  you  to  be  directed  j  dojmg  you  to  wite  therby 
how  many  dayes  that  for  the  cause  abovesaid  he  was  in 
Kent  Yeven  undre  our  privie  seal  at  oure  paloys  of 
Westm  the  iij,  day  of  Octobr^  the  yere  of  oure  reigne 
xxix. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  £.  iii.  f.97.  Original 
Ibid.  12th  October,  29  Hen. VI.  1450.] 

Henry  'Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Barons  of  oure 
eschequier  greting  ^  We  have  understande  that  howe  be 
it  that  oure  welbeloved  Witt  de  la  Barre  chappellayn 
administratour  of  the  goodf  and  catalles  of  Lowys  late 
administratour  of  the  bysshoprich  of  Ely^  hath  payed 
and  contented  us  long  tyme  passed  for  an  hors  witli  a 
sadett  and  a  brydelt  j  an  hat  j  a  cloke  j  a  ryng  j  a  cuppe  j  a 
lavour  J  and  also  for  a  mute  of  houndes  ^  the  whic%  were 
the  said  late  ministratour  of  the  church  of  Ely  to  us  by 
ryght  and  custume  of  olde  tyme  hadde  and  used  /  per- 
teignyng  j  as  in  our  tres  undre  our  signet  writen  in  our 


I45a]  29  HENRY  VI.  103 

castett  of  Wyndesore  the  xxvj.  day  of  Septembre  the 
yere  of  our  regne  xxv.  remaignyng  in  our  said  esche* 
quyer  of  recorde  it  is  conteignecT  aB  at  large  ^  yet  never-* 
thelesse  ye  as  it  is  said  forbere  not  to  make  out  processe 
alway  ayenst  the  said  Wilt  for  the  same  duete  whiclb 
is  payed  as  is  abovesaid  j  unto  his  greet  hurt  and  pre- 
judice and  ayenst  reason  and  conscience.  Wherfbre  we 
wol  and  charge  you  and  everich  of  you  that  ye  surseese 
utterly  from  hens  forth  of  such  processe  makyng  ayenst 
the  said  WiB  and  him  to  acquite  and  discharge  utterly 
ayenst  us  and  our  heires  in  our  said  eschequier  for  the 
said  cause  for  ever  more  ^  Wylling  furthermore  and  de- 
creing  by  thees  our  Ires  that  aS  such  processe  with  the 
dependences  as  hath  be  made  ayenst  the  said  Wilt  sith 
the  date  of  our  said  tres  of  sygnet  for  the  said  cause 
be  voyde  and  of  non  effecte*  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  the 
xij.  day  of  Octobre  ^  the  yere  1c.  xxix. 

De  man***  Regis 


ilii.  J 


p  avisa***'  sui  Consilii.  J  Langport. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  £.  vi.  f.  231  b.  OrigvnaL 
Writ  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  23rd  December,  29  Hen.VI.  1450.] 

Right*  trusty  and  welbeloved  4  Forasmuche  as  we  be 
acertained  that  a  servaunt  longing  to  oure  right  trusty 
and  welbeloved  the  Lord  Scales  [called  Hugh  of  Forde] 
during  the  tyme  of  this  oure  parlement  was  comitted 
to  the  warde  of  oure  Conestable  and  Mareschal  of 
Englande  ^  We  therfore  wolling  the  priveleges  of  oure 
parlementez  to  be  observed  and  kepte  4  wol  and  charge 
you  that  under  our  prive  seel  being  in  yo'  warde  ye 
do   make   oure  tres  directed  to  pure  Conestable  and 

H  4 


104  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1460-1 

Marschal  abovesaide  charging  and  comaunding  theym 
to  late  the  serv*unt  abovesaide  to  go  at  large  for  the 
tyme  that  oure  parlement  shal  endure  ^  and  thees  oure 
fres  shal  be  yo'  warraunt.  Yeven  under  oure  signet  at 
cure  palois  of  Westmynstr  the  xxiij.  day  of  Decembr  ^ 
the  yere  of  oure  reigne  xxix. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  150.  Original, 

Writ  to  the  Treasurer  and  Chamberlains  of  the  Exchequer,  25th  Ja- 
nuary, 29  Hen. VI.  14<5L] 

Henry  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Barons  of  our  esche- 

quyer  greting^  For  certaine  causes  and  consideracons 

suc6  as  moeve  us^  we  wol  and  charge  you  J^at  notw*- 

standing  any  tres  or  warant   directed  unto  you    from 

us  afore  this  tyme  or  here  after  to  be  directed!  for  sur- 

seessing  of  any  processe  making  or  proceding  to  juge- 

ment  sauf  oonly  sucb  as  passeth  by  J^avis  of  oure  coun- 

saiS^    ye  not  forbere^  but  procede  effectuelly  in  aS 

matiers  touching  us  after  the  cours  of  oure  lawe  and  ye 

said  eschequyer^    and  failleth  not  herin  in  any  wyse. 

Yeven  Ttc.  at  Westm  the  xxv.  day  of  January  the  yere 

1c.  xxix**. 

Lanoport. 


[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  177.    a  modern  Tran$cript. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  6th  May,  29  Hen.Vl.  1451.] 

Henrt  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
exchequyer  greting  ^  For  as  moch  as  we  send  at  yis  tyme 
oure  welbeloved  Clarenceux  heraulde  of  arme  w*  certaine 
letters  of  sauf  conduy te  into  Scotlande  for  such  ambas* 


1451.]  29  HENRY  VI.  105 

satours  of  ye  King  of  Scotts  as  shall  meete  w^  oure 
commissioners  at  Newcastell  for  reparation  of  attemptats 
and  oyer  matiers  such  as  we  have  committed  unto  yaim  4 
we  wol  and  charge  you  yat  unto  ye  said  Clarenceux  ye 
doo  paye  c.  s.  to  have  of  oure  yeft  by  way  of  reward 
for  his  costs  and  expenses  yat  he  shall  have  for  ye 
cause  abovesaid.  Yeven  1c*  at  West  the  vj.  day  of  May  y 
the  yere  1c.  xxix. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  CleopatiHy  F.  vi.  f.  423.  cowfem/wtigfy  M.S. 

Indenture,  containing  a  list  of  jewels  which  were  delivered  to  John 
Wynn,  citizen  and  jeweller,  of  London,  by  command  of  the  Lords  of 
the  Council,  to  which  the  date  of  the  20th  May,  29  Hen-VL  1451, 
is  assigned  in  a  modem  hand,  but  it  does  not  appear  upon  what 
authority.] 

Tkis  indenture  made  betwix  John  FowtreS  on  that 
con  ptie  and  John  Wynne  citizein  and  jueller  of  Lon- 
don  on  that  othr  ptie  4  witnesseth  that  wher  the  King 
oure  souvain  lord  by  his  Ires  patentf  of  c5mission  under 
his  greet  seel  hath  yeve  to  the  said  John  Wynne 
amongf  othr  thingf  in  the  same  conteigned  4  powair  to 
receive  of  the  Tresorer  of  Englande  and  of  al  othr  alle 
man!  of  juelx  that  the  said  Tresorer  or  any  othr  on  the 
Xingf  parte  and  to  his  use  and  necessitee  wol  take  to 
the  same  John  Wynne  any  juelx  as  in  the  saide  tres  it 
is  conteigned  more  at  large  4  It  is  so  that  the  said  John 
Foutrelt  seing  the  said  cdmission  and  knoweing  that 
theifecte  therof  was  oonly  for  J^e  setting  over  in  the 
Kingf  fvice  into  Guyenne  for  J>e  defence  \  savacon  of 
it  of  the  Lord  Rivers  It  of  his  rqtenue  4  and  willing  ]^ 


106  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1451. 

said  setting  oV  spially  to  be  dooii  4  therfore  at  }?espial 
desire  of  J)e  Lordf  of  J?e  Kingf  counseil  J>e  said  John 
Poutrelt  hat&  delived  to  the  same  Jo&n  Wynne  such 
juelx  as  mencon  is  made  of  herafter  j  the  whicb  jeulx  were 
delived  by  the  Lord  Say  late  Tresorer  of  Englande  to 
the  said  John  Poutrelt  for  his  suertee  of  paiemet  of 
vj^  li.  J'at  he  late  lened  unto  \^  King  j  )>at  is  to  say  4  a 
tabulet  of  gold  w^  an  ymage  of  Saint  George  gamisshed 
with  a  ruby  \  viij.  diamoundes  and  on  the  oon  pte 
of  the  ymage  is  an  angel  holding  an  helme  gamisshed  w^ 
a  ruby  and  litil  pies  j  and  on  the  othr  pte  a  maide  kneling 
w^  a  lambe  gamisshed  w^  a  ruby^  and  above  the  said 
tabulet  is  an  ymage  garnisshid  w^  xxij.  balais  xxv. 
saphires  iij.  emeraudf  Iv.  greet  perles  and  iiij'^  ix.  pies 
of  lesse  sorte  and  with  many  othr  smale  pies  weiyng 
iij^'.  xix.  unc  q^rr  •  Also  a  saler  of  gold  coured  and  wroght 
w^  flowres  de  lyse  gamisshed  w^  xiiij.  bales  xv.  saphires 
xxiiij.  troches  4  evy  troche  iij.  perles^  and  w*  many  othr 
smal  pies  j  and  in  pe  mydel  and  w4n  the  said  salere  is  a 
serpentz  tong  and  oon  pece  of  an  unicorae  home  wey- 
ing  iiij.  lb.  vij.  unS  iij.  q^rus.  Also  a  greet  cupe  of  golde 
coved  and  chased  gamisshed  w^  ix.  saphafires  ix.  peticotf 
xviij.  troches  j  evy  troch  of  iiij.  perles  j  and  upoii  the  top  a 
gentilwomaii  kneling  j  and  in  the  middis  and  in  the  said 
cuppe  is  a  serpentz  tong  and  a  pece  of  an  unicoraes  home 
weying  iiij''.  xiij.  unc.  Also  an  othr  cuppe  of  golde  couPed 
and  gamisshed  w^  1.  rubies  %  xliiij.  pies  and  the  topet 
gamisshed  w^  ij.  saphires  It  viij.  pies  veiing  xlix.  unc  \  a 
q"rr.  Also  a  nothr  cuppe  of  golde  couv'ed  ^  enameled  w* 
divs  ymages  and  gamisshed  w^  ij.  baleys  iiij.  saphires  I 
Ixxvi.  pies  weying  Ixxiij.  unc  and  iij.  q^r^s.  Also  a  standing 
potte  couved  of  silv  gilt  w^  an  handel  made  in  maner  of 
wrethes  weying  xij.  lb.  viij.  unc  iij.  q*r?  1  dL  Also  a  potte 
of  the  same  sorte  weying  xiy.  tb.  ix.  unc  t  di  and  di 


1451.]  29  HENRY  VI.  lO/ 

q*rr.  Also  a  pot  of  )>e  same  sorte  wejing  xiij.  tb.  iij.  unc 
dil  di  a  quarts  alle  the  whicb  juellx  I  the  said  John 
Wynne  confesse  by  thees  that  for  'pe  said  cause  I  have 
received  theira  of  the  said  Powtrelt.  In  wittnesse  wherof 
1c«. 


[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  176.  a  modern  Trasueript. 
Petition  to  the  King,  28th  June,  29  Hen. VI.  145  L] 

To  the  Kyng  oure  souveraygn  lord. 

Besechen  mekely  youre  pouer  lieges  Thomas  Can3mge8 
and  William  Hulyn  late  shireffes  of  youre  citee  of 
London  to  concidre  that  whet  as  by  your  commandement 
diverse  and  severell  writtes  have  be  directed  unto  them 
undre  youre  grete  seal!  commandyng  hem  such  tyme  as 
they  occupied  the  seyd  oflSce^  by  oon  of  your  seyd 
writtes  to  send  and  delyver  a  quarter  of  oon  Niclas 
Jakes  atteynt  of  high  treson  ^  to  the  Maire  and  bailliefs 
of  youre  citee  of  Chichestre  in  the  countee  of  Sussex  j 
and  by  another  of  the  said  writtes  to  send  and  de- 
Hver  another  quarter  of  the  seyd  Niclas  Jakes  to  the 
bailliefs  of  Rochestre  in  the  shire  of  Kent  ^  and  another 
to  Portesmouth  j  and  another  quarter  to  Colchestre  j 
and  by  another  of  youre  said  writtes  to  send  and  de- 
lyver  the  heed  of  oon  Thomas  Cheyny  feyning  him  silf 
an  heremite  cleped  Blewberd  atteynt  of  high  treson  j  to 
the  Maire  and  bailliefes  of  youre  citee  of  Canterbury  j 
and  by  another  of  your  sayd  writtes  to  sett  up  a  quarter 
of  the  sayd  traytour  cleped  Blewberd  upon  a  yate  of 
London  j  and  to  send  and  delyver  another  quarter  of  the 
same  traytour  to  the  sheriefes  of  youre  citee  of  Norwich  ^ 


108  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1451. 

and  to  send  and  del3rver  two  other  quarters  of  the  same 
traitour  to  the  wardens  of  youre  v.  portes  or  to  their 
lefilenauntes  ^  and  by  another  of  your  said  writtes  to 
drawe  the  body  of  another  tray  tour  callyng  him  silf  John 
Rammesey  wyne  drawer  ^  and  to  send  and  delyver  a 
quarter  of  hym  to  Stamford  and  another  quarter  of  him 
to  Covyntre  ^  and  another  quarter  of  hym  to  Newbury  ^ 
and  another  quarter  of  hym  to  Wynchestre  ^  and  also  by 
other  severell  youre  writtes  commandyng  them  to  sett 
up  iij.  severell  heedes  of  the  persones  abovesayd  upon 
London  Brugge  4  and  by  another  of  youre  seyd  writtes 
to  do  drawe  the  body  of  a  grete  traytour  namyng  him 
silf  Mortymer  upon  an  hurduU  by  the  stretes  of  your 
citee  of  London  and  his  head  to  set  on  London  Brugge  4 
and  by  another  of  your  seyd  writtes  to  send  and  delyver 
a  quarter  of  the  seyd  traytour  called  Mortymer  to  the 
constables  of  the  hundred  of  Blakheth  4  and  by  another 
of  youre  seyd  writtes  to  send  and  delyver  another  quarter 
of  the  seyd  traytour  called  Mortymer  to  the  Maire  and 
shireffes  of  the  citee  of  Norwich  4  and  by  another  to 
send  and  delyver  another  quarter  of  the  same  traytour  to 
the  Maire  of  the  citee  of  Salesbury  4  and  another  quarter 
of  the  same  traytour  to  the  baiiiefs  of  the  towne  of 
Gloucestre^  the  which  youre  high  commandements  by 
youre  sayd  late  shireffs  were  duly  execute  to  there  grete 
charges  and  costes  and  especially  for  there  cariages  of 
the  quarters  aforsayd  and  the  hed  of  the  same  Thomas 
Cheyny  ^  for  and  by  cause  that  unneth  any  persones  durste 
nor  wolde  take  upon  ham  the  caridge  of  the  seyd  hed 
and  quarters  for  doute  of  her  lyves  4  Plese  hit  therfore 
un  to  youre  highnesse  to  command  your  gracious  letters 
of  pry  vy  seall  to  be  directed  to  the  Tresorer  and  Barons 
of  your  eschekker  commandyng  them  that  in  thaccountes 
tliat  the  seid  Thomas  and  William  ben  to  yeld  unto  you 


1451.]  29  HENRY  VI.  109 

by  cause  of  ther  office  they  allowe  unto  them  of  the 
feerme  of  the  same  youre  citee  and  of  the  counte  of 
Middlesex  and  of  the  issues  profitts  and  comodities 
com3n3g  and  growyng  of  the  seyd  youre  citee  of  London 
and  of  the  countee  of  Mydd  all  such  sommes  of  monay 
as  that  they  and  eyther  of  them  or  any  for  them  or  in 
ther  name  accountyng  for  them  wol  make  feith  that  hath 
be  by  them  and  eyther  of  them  spend  and  paid  for  and 
aboute  the  execution  of  your  commandements  above 
seyd  and  of  everich  of  them  j  and  your  seyd  besechers 
shall  pray  to  God  for  you. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii  apud 
Westm  xxviij.  Junii  anno  xxix. 

Langport. 

[Auf.  art.  178. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  5th  July,  29  Hen.  VI.  1451.] 

Henry  tc.  to  the  Tresourer  and  Chamberlains  of 
cure  eschequier  greting^  We  wol  and  charge  you  yat 
unto  Snadon  heraulde  late  comyng  from  oure  cousin  the 
Kyng  of  Scotts  towards  us  with  certain  letters  j  ye  do 
paie  c.  s.  to  have  of  oure  yefte  by  waye  of  reward  for 
his  costes  and  expenses  had  and  suffired  by  him  in  yat 
partie.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  ye  v.  day  of  Juyl  ^  the  yere 
1c.  xxix. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

{JOnd.  art.  171.  24th  July,  29  Hen.VI.  U51.] 

Henry  1c.  to  the  Tresourer  and  Chamberlains  of  oure 
eschequier  greting  4  We  late  you  wite  that  where  as  our 
trusty  and  welbeloved  knight  S'  Henry  Redford  prisoner 


110  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  £145U 

unto  cure  ennemyes  j  havyng  noo  goods  wherwith  to  con- 
tente  his  finaunce  ^  whiche  of  long  time  hath  contynued 
and  doon  to  us  trewe  and  diligent  service  in  oure  reaume 
of  Fraunce  and  duchie  of  Normandie  and  other  tymes 
afore  this  there  hath  he  prisoner  and  payed  greet  finaunce 
and  had  greet  and  importable  losse  of  his  goods  in  other 
wises  J  we  of  oure  benigne  and  ample  grace  by  thavis  of 
oure  counsaille  in  consideration  of  the  premisses  have 
graunted  unto  him  vj*^.  saluz  to  be  rebated  upon  thobli- 
gations  of  the  Due  of  Orleaunce  and  suche  as  ben 
bounde  for  him  for  his  finaunce  whanne  he  was  prisoner 
here  j  the  which  obligations  remaigne  in  your  warde  in 
oure  tresorie.  We  wol  therfore  by  thavis  of  oure  said 
counsaille  and  charge  you  that  to  the  said  S'*  Henry  ye 
delivere  an  obligation  of  William  de  Harecourt  erle  of 
Tankerville  of  \j'°^  saluz  being  in  youre  saide  warde 
amonge  other  obligations  for  the  finance  of  the  said 
Due  of  Orleaunce  as  is  abovesaid  j  to  have  of  oure  yifte 
for  the  causes  above  reherced  ^  and  yees  oure  letters  shall 
be  unto  you  sufficient  warrant  and  discharge.  Yeven 
tc.  at  Westm  the  xxiiij.  day  of  Juyl  j  the  yere  %c. 
xxix. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

llbid.  art.  174^  2nd  August,  29  Hen. VI.  1451.] 

Henricus  1c.  Thesaurario  et  Camerariis  de  scaccario 
nostro  salutem  ^  Ob  certas  causas  et  considerationes  nos  et 
consilium  nostrum  moventes  volumus  et  vobis  mandamus 
quod  certas  evidenc  et  munimenta  in  custodia  vestra 
infra  thesaurariam  nostram  existeil  de  quibus  in  articulis 
quos  vobis  mittimus  prsesentibus  interclusos  fit  mentio  ad 
nos  et  dictum  consilium  nostrum  in  civitatem  nostram 


1451.]  29  HENRY  VI.  HI 

Cantuarien  adducatis  adducive  facialis  omni  acceleratione 
accommoda.  Dat.  Ic.  apud  civitatem  nostram  Cantuarien 
secundo  die  Augusti  anno  Ic.  xxix^ 

M*.  quod  Wittmus  Kynwolmerssh  clericus  liberavit 
in  recep?  scaccarii  xij®.  die  Octobr  anno  vij°.  Regis 
H.  V.  unam  indenturam  factam  Cales  xiij^  die  Julii  anno 
Domini  miBimo  ccccxix®.  per  Wiltmum  Bardolf  militem 
et  alios  ambassiatores  Regis  de  tractatu  pacis  inter  regnum 
Angliae  et  partes  flandris. 

M^.  quod  ix®.  die  Octobr  anno  xiiij®.  Regis  H.  vi**. 
Radus  dominus  CromweS  Thes  Angliae  et  Cameraf  de 
scaccario  receperunt  de  David  Breknoke  per  indenturam 
unam  cistam  in  qua  sunt  diversi  libri  facient  mentionem 
de  divers  appuncl  fact  inter  Reges  Anglis  et  Franciae  et 
eciam  sacrm  et  juramentum  factum  per  Ducem  Burgundise 
ad  perimplend  et  observand  concord  factam  inter  Karolum 
Regem  Franc  et  Henricum  Quintum  nuper  Regem 
Anglia;. 

M*.  quod  viij°.  die  Julii  anno  regni  Regis  Henrici 
vj**.  xx^*®.  Magister  Thomas  Kent  clericus  consilii  dicti 
Domini  Regis  liberavit  in  thesaurar  Regis  ix.  scripta 
de  treugis  ac  de  prorogal  treug  cap£  inter  dictum 
Dominum  Regem  et  Phm  Ducem  Burgund  et  af. 

M^.  quod  x^.  die  Octobr  anno  regni  Regis  Henric 
v^.  tercio  recepl  fuerunt  in  recepl  scaccarii  iiij®'.  litterae  ^ 
una  littera  pacis  Duds  Burgundies  sigillat  sigillo  suo  ^ 
et  alia  littera  Karoli  Regis  FrancisB  sigillo  suo  sigillat  j 
et  unus  tractal  inter  Regem  Angt  et  quatuor  membra 
Fiandr  J  et  una  littera  Regis  Angliae. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentii  sui  Consilii^  prsesenl 
Dominis  Car^*  Custode  privati  sigilli. 

Langport. 


112  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1451- 

[ Attf.  art.  103.  16th  August,  29  Hen.VI.  1451.] 

Henry  Ic.  to  the  Tresorer  and  Chamberlains  of 
cure  eschequyer  greting  4  Forasmoche  as  oure  trusty  and 
welbeloved  John  Lord  Beauchamp  hath  now  late  by 
ouro  commaundement  for  shippyng  and  setting  over  to 
oure  towne  of  Calays  of  certaine  men  of  armes  and 
archers  by  wey  of  a  trewe  for  the  seurtie  and  savegard 
of  our  said  towne  the  some  of  xxxix^  as  by  parcelles 
thereof  the  which  we  sende  you  closed  here  within  as 
may  appere  all  at  large.;  we  wol  and  charge  you  that  unto 
the  said  Lord  ye  make  repayement  of  the  said  xxxix^  soo 
by  him  on  our  behalfe  payed  as  is  above  rehersed.  Yeven 
1c.  at  Cant  the  x\j.  day  of  Augusts  the  yere  Itc.  xxix. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  Concilii. 

Langport. 
My  Lord  Seudeley. 

In  the  Cateryn  of  Calice 

vj".  men  xxiv.  shipmen  It  y®  mast^ 

om*  XXIV.  u.  vj.  s.  vuj.  a. 

Belknape. 

In  the  Mary  of  Sandwiche 

viij".  men  xxiv.  shipm.  \  a  grome    -  Sm*  iv.  li.  v.  s. 

Seint  Barbarbe. 

Husy. 

In  the  Gooste  of  Sandwich 

ix".  men  xxij.  shipm*  Tt  y*  m'  -        -  Sm*  iv.  Ti. 

S'WiltCrafford.»l 

Horewode.  J 

In  the  balynger  of  Rye 

xl.  men  x^.  shipmen  w***  y«  m'     -  Sum  Ivj.  s.  viij.  d. 

In  the  Passynger  of  Calice 

c.  men  xiv.  shipm.  w*^  y*  m'     -        -        -Suml.  §• 

^  Sic  ;  but  query i  Trafford. 


} 


1451.]  29  HENRY  VI.  113 

Witney  1 
SalfordJ 

In  the  Lord  Skales  balyng' 

c.  men  xviij.  shipm.  w^  the  m^    -  Sum  Ixiij.  s.  iiij.  d. 

Sire  Tho.  Fyndarne. 
In  the  James  of  Calice 

cc.  men  xxiv.  shipm.  t  a  grome        -  Sum  iiij.  t*  v.  s. 

In  the  Isabel  of  Clyfton 

xl.  men  xvj.  shipm.  w**"  y*  m*^        *  Sum  Ivj.  s.  viij.  d*. 

In  Selby  ys  balyng' 

xl.  men  xiiij.  shipm.  w*^  y*  m'  -        -  Sum  1.  §• 

In  Alfrey  ys  balyng' 

xl.  men  xij.  shipm.  w*^  y*  m"^        -  Sum  xliij.  s.  iiij.  d!. 

In  Petyt  Crayer 

XXX.  men  w*^  hors  vij.  shipm,  w*^  y®  m*^ 

Sum  xxvj.  s.  viij.  d. 

Item  in  y®  Mary  of  Sandwich 

c.  men  xx.  shipm.  1  y*  m"^  .  •  Sum  iiij.  C, 


Item  for  the  costs  and  expenses  of' 
Thomas  Bumell  being  at  Sand- 
wich for  iij.  days  to  contente  and 
pay  the  said  shipmen 


Sum  xvj.  s,  vuj.  a. 


Summa        -  xxxix.  t 


VOL.  VI, 


114  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1452- 

Acta  de  Anno  Tricesimo. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  vi.  f.  423.  OrigmaL 

Warrant   to   the   Keeper  of  the  privy  seal,    dated    15th  February, 

30  Hen.VL  1452.] 

Righ't  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  We  wol  and  charge  you 
that  under  oure  prive  seel  beyng  in  youre  warde  ye  doo 
make  our  Ires  in  fourme  fol owing  ^  Henry  Ic.  to  the  Tre- 
sourier  and  Chamberlayns  of  oure  escliequiergretyng./  We 
considering  that  where  by  vertue  of  oure  Ires  of  prive  seel 
directed'to  the  Tresourier  and  Chamblayns  of  oure  esche- 
quier  theer  were  delived  oute  of  oure  tresory  the  xix.  day 
of  Janyuer  in  the  xxviij.  yeer  of  oure  regne  by  them  unto 
thandes  of  James  Fenes  knight  lorde  Say  than  oure  Tre- 
sourier of  England  j  nowe  ded  j  certain  oure  juelx  ^  as  in 
tbendentures  therof  made  betwix  oure  said  Chamberlayns 
and  hym  j  wherof  J>at  oon  partie  was  by  hym  seeled  re- 
mayning   in  youre  kepyng  it  apperetfi   more  at  large  j 
And  we  considering  J^at  where  the  iij*®.  day  of  Fevrier  the 
xxviij.  yeer  of  oure  reigne  theer  was  lent  unto  us  by  oure 
welbeloved  fvant  Jo6n  Poutrett  [j>e]  some  of  vj*^.  ti.  for 
whoos  surete  of  repaiement  therof  theer  were  delyved  unto 
hym  by  the  Tresourier  and  Chamberlayns  of  oure  esche- 
quier  certain  tailles  rered  at  J>e  receipte  of  oure  eschequier 
\>e  X.  day  of  ]?e  said  moneth  of  Fevrer  j  and  also  by  the 
.  said  Lord  Saye  than  oure  Tresourier  certain  juelx  j  as  in 
thappele  of  the  receipte  of  oure  eschequier  it  apperetft  ^ 
the  whicti  juelx  we  knowe  for  certain  were  parte  of  oure 
said  juelx  that  were  delived  by  vertue  of  ])e  said  oure  Ires  of 
prive  seel  unto  Jje  said  Lord  Say  j  And  we  considre  also 
that  where  by  oure  Ires  patentf  of  c5mission  under  oure 
greet  seel  made  the  xv.  day  of  May  the  xxix.  yeer  of  oure 
reigne  j  trustyng  on  ]?e  feitfe  and  circumspeccon  of  oure 
welbeloved  John  Wynne  citezen  and  jueller  of  London  ^ 


I  Vide  pp.  105-107,  antea. 


14520  30  HENRY  VL  115 

have  assigned  hym  and  comitted  to  hym  power  to  receyve 
of  cure  Tresourier  of  Englande  and  of  alle  ottir  personnes^ 
suclb  and  as  manyjuelx  as  the  same  Tresourier  or  any  ot&r 
on  oure  partie  for  us  and  to  our  use  wold  delyve  him  j  as 
by  the  copie  of  the  same  c5mission  the  which  is  herto 
annexed  more  playnly  it  may  appere  j  And  furthermore 
we  considre  J^at  now  late  to  oure  relief  and  ease  and  for 
partie  of  paiement  of  J>e  wages  of  J^e  Lord  Rivers  and  his 
souldeours  late  reteyned  with  us  for  to  goo  into  oure 
duchie  of  Guyenne  ^  at  the  desire  of  us  and  of  the  lordf 
of  oure  counseii  the  said  Jolin  Poutrelt  delived  to  the  said 
John  Wynne  after  the  date  and  sight  of  oure  said  comis- 
sion  for  oure  use  and  necessite  j  thabovesaid  juelx  to  him 
delyred  by  thabovesaid  oure  Tresourier  j  the  which  we 
knowe  for  certain  bethe  suche  as  mencion  is  maad  of  in 
an  denture  maade  of  the  receite  and  delivaunce  of  hem 
betwix  J'e  said  John  Wynne  and  J^e  said  John  Poutrelt  j 
of  ]>e  which  endenture  the  copie  is  herto  annexed  ^  and 
\^  which  juelx  we  knowe  for  certain  beth  al  and  the  same 
juelx  ])at  were  delived  by  the  said  Lord  Say  to  the  said 
John  Poutrelt  as  above  ^  And  we  woUing  therfore  the  said 
John  Poutrell  discharge  and  acquite  ayeinst  us  oure  heires 
\  executours  for  ever  of  J?e  same  juelx  and  of  every  parcel 
of  hem  J  wol  for  so  moche  and  charge  you  J^at  ye  do  cancel! 
adnul  and  with  drawe  in  the  said  appele  of  oure  receipte  al 
)»tthat  by  any  moien  is  entred  or  writen  therin  that  miglit 
cause  the  said  John  Poutrelt  to  be  answerable  or  chargeable 
to  us  or  to  oure  heires  or  executours  of  )?e  said  juelx  or  any 
peel  of  them.  Yeven  Ic.j  And  thees  oure  tres  shal  beyo' 
warrant  Yeven  under  oure  signet  at  oure  palois  of  Westm 
the  XV.  day  of  Fevrier  the  yeer  of  oure  reigne  xxx**.* 

BOWDON. 


»  The  indorsement,  being  pasted  down,  is  illegible. 

I  2 


116  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL.  [1452L 

[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  6.  a  modern  TVarncr^ 

Letter    from    the    King    to    Lord    Cobham,    dated    17th  February^ 

30  Hen. VI.  14552-] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  Howe  be  it  that  we 
trowed  that  ye  according  to  youre  dewte  hadd  be  and 
wolde  have  be  awayting  upon  us  as  other  lordes  that  but 
late  agoo  was  called  to  come  to  oure  counsaille  doo  and 
entended  upon  us  and  to  oure  service./  as  oure  trewe 
liegeman  oweth  to  doo^  namely  considering  the  grete 
untrouthe  and  disobeissaunce  that  is  ment  and  pur- 
posed  ayenst  us  and  ayenst  oure  astate  and  ayenst  oure 
universell  pollice  and  welfare  of  this  oure  lande  j  the 
whiche  with  the  grace  of  oure  Lord  shall  not  take  suche 
effect  as  the  auctours  and  labourers  therof  purpoos  and 
entende  j  but  shalbe  so  rebuked  and  chastised  as  it  shall 
be  to  the  plesir  of  God  and  to  the  worship  of  us  and  to 
the  wele  of  this  oure  reaume.  Neverthelesse  ye  will- 
fully absent  you  from  us  and  withdrawe  you  otherwyse 
thanne  ye  owed  in  anywise  to  doo.  We  therfore  write 
unto  you  cbarging  you  straitely  upon  the  feith  and 
ligeaunce  that  ye  owe  unto  us  j  that  incontinent  seen 
thees  oure  letters  ye  w*oute  delay  or  tarrying  come  to 
oure  presence  there  to  awaite  upon  us  and  do  service 
suche  as  it  fitteth  oure  trewe  ligeman./  and  namely  of 
youre  astate  and  degree  for  to  doo  j  and  failleth  not  so 
to  doo  as  ye  woU  eschewe  oure  indignation  and  the  peril  I 
that  may  ensewe  therof.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  the  xvij» 
day  of  Feverer  the  yere  1c.  xxx. 

To  oure  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Lord 

Cobham. 

T.  Kent 
De  mandato  Regis 
per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 


1452.]  SO  HENRY  VI.  II7 

[Bibl.  Harl.  1878.  f.2.  Original. 
Warrant  to  the  Keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  8th  March,  SO  Hen. VI.  1452.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

Righ't  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  We  late  you  wite  Jiat 
we  have  wele  understande  by  a  supp^^  pnted  unto  us  on 
the  behalve  of  pe  Mair  and  burgeises  merchauntf  of 
cure  towne  of  Newecastel  upon  Tyne  j  that  whereas  the 
woUes  hides  and  wollefelles  growing  in  oure  countees  of 
Northumbreland  Westmerland  and  Cumbret  and  in  ]>e 
bisshopryke  of  Duresme  were  no  staple  ware  ne  might 
here  pe  charges  and  costf  of  our  staple  of  Caleis  j  and 
Jwit  we  heretofore  by  our  Ires  patentez  have  lycenced 
the  saide  Mair  and  burgeises  that  they  and  thair  pre- 
decessours  shulde  bye  and  selle  ]>e  saide  woUes  hides  and 
wollefelles  and  thayme  to  shippe  wHnne  our  port  of  our 
saide  towne  and  from  theins  thayme  to  cary  and  lede 
unto  Brugges  in  Flaundres  and  unto  the  towne  of 
Midelburgh  in  Zelande^  payeng  therfore  pe  custumes 
subsidies  and  devoirs  due  and  accoustumed  j  as  in  oure 
saide  tres  patentf  it  may  appiere  more  at  large.  It  is 
so  }^t  oure  saide  Ires  patentf  so  made  unto  thayme  by 
force  of  an  acte  made  in  our  parlement  holden  at  Westm 
the  xij.  day  of  Fevrier  pe  xxvij.  yeer  of  our  regne  were 
revoked  and  adnuUed  unto  pe  ppetuel  hurt  of  pe  saide 
Mair  and  burgeisis  merchauntf  and  of  alle  othr  oure 
liege  peuple  of  pe  saide  countees  and  bisshopryke  pat 
were  accoustumed  for  to  bye  and  selle  pe  saide  woUes 
hides  and  wollefelles  and  to  have  thair  sustentacon  by  pe 
same  j  Wherfore  we  considering  as  wele  the  premisses  as 
pe  grete  and  manyfolde  charges  pat  pe  forsaide  Mair  and 
burgeises  susteigne  and  here  dailly  and  yeerly  in  thair 
ferme  payeng  unto  us  and  for  pe  defence  of  our  saide 
towne  ayeinst  the  Scottes  and  divers  othr  grete  costf  and 

I  3 


118  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [U52. 

charges  empoverisshing  hem  ful  grevously  as  we  be  en- 
fourmed  •/  so  J?at  w*oute  som  relief  be  shewed  unto  thayme 
in  J^is  behalve  many  of  thayme  shal  be  compelled  of  verray 
necessite  to  voied  oute  of  our  saide  towne  and  like  to  be 
w*inne  shorte  tyme  final  destruccon  and  desolacon  of  J^e 
same  oure  towne ^  whiche  God  defender  have  of  our 
g*ce  espal  graunted  unto  ]>e  forsaide  Mair  and  burgeises 
merchantf  of  our  saide  towne  of  Newcastel  j  licence  that 
they  and  thair  successours  during  the  terme  of  iij.  yeeres 
nowe  next  comyng  shal  mowe  freely  and  unpunisshed  in 
]>e  porte  of  our  saide  towne  by  thaime  and  by  thair 
iv^ntfj  bye  [and  shippe]  shorling  lambeskynnes  and 
calves  skynnes  growing  of  pe  saide  coiintees  and  bisshop- 
ryke  j  and  thayme  so  bought  and  shipped  y  to  do  carye 
and  lede  unto  ]fe  saide  townes  of  Brugges  and  Middel- 
burgBi  and  to  eitllr  of  thayme  at  thair  eleccion  w*oute 
eny  empechement  impediment  pturbacon  contradiccon 
hurte  or  grief  of  us  o'  heires  or  successours  custumers 
contrerolleurs  sercheours  or  eny  oj??  our  officiers  or 
ministers  what  som  ev  they  be  j  payeng  unto  us  in  o' 
saide  porte  for  'pe  saide  shorling  lambeskyns  and  calve- 
skyns  pe  subsidie  called  pondage  j  J?at  is  to  wite  j  xij.  cT. 
of  J?e  li.  for  almaner  op?  subsidies  custumes  and  devoirs 
unto  us  in  J^at  behalf  belonging.  So  we  wol  and  charge 
you  J?at  under  our  prive  seel  being  in  your  warde  ye  do 
make  o'  Ires  directed  unto  o'  Chaunceltr  of  Englande 
charging  him  J?at  under  o'  grete  seel  being  in  his  warde 
he  do  make  herupon  our  Ires  patentf  in  due  fo^'me  j  eny 
statute  ordonnance  or  act' before  this  tyme  made  or- 
deigned  or  provided  into  J>e  contrary  notw*standing  j  and 
thees  our  Ires  shal  be  your  warrant.  Yeven  under  o*" 
signet  at  o'  palaice  of  Westin  the  viij®.  day  of  Marche 
the  yeer  of  our  regne  xxx*. 

BoWDON, 


1452.]  SO  HENRY  VI.  Hg 

[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  7.  a  modern  Transcripi, 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Clifford,  dated  14th  March,  SO  Hen.VL 

1452.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved^  We  tbanke  you  as  hertely 
as  we  canne  of  the  right  trewe  and  notable  service  that  ye 
have  at  alle  tymes  be  redie  to  doo  unto  us  and  have  doo 
as  ofte  as  ye  have  be  certiffied  and  lerned  of  oure  desire 
and  entente  in  that  behalf  v  and  in  especiall  of  the  service 
that  ye  have  doo  to  us  but  late  agoo  j  the  whiche  we  shall 
not  forgete  but  have  in  remembraunce  as  reason  wol.  For 
asmoche  as  we  be  from  tyme  to  tyme  as  wel  by  letters  to 
suche  as  we  owe  of  reason  to  yeve  faith  and  credence  as 
by  laborious  and  diligent  enquerre  and  especielle  lerned 
that  oure  adversarie  of  France  and  thoo  that  holde  his 
partie  be  disposed  with  alle  the  spede  and  haast  that  thay 
canne  to  come  into  oure  marches  of  Calais  w^  as  greet 
puissaunce  as  any  was  assembled  in  Fraunce  many  yeres 
and  with  as  greet  ordinaunce  and  devyses  of  werre  as  any 
man  hath  seen  j  to  th'entente  to  subdue  unto  yaim  oure 
towne  of  Calais  by  the  mene  of  siege  and  othre  oure 
places  in  the  saide  marches  j  thay  trowyng  sone  and 
w^oute  grete  difficultee  so  to  mowe  doo  j  and  after  that 
to  come  into  this  oure  reaume  to  ye  entente  to  distroye 
and  dispoile  it  and  the  dwellers  of  the  same  j  to  the  with- 
standing and  lettyng  of  the  whiche  thaire  malicious  pur- 
poos  we  w*  the  grace  of  oure  Lord  with  the  helpe  of  you 
and  of  oure  true  subjettes  shall  doo  oure  parte  in  suche 
wyse  as  it  shalbe  to  the  pleasir  of  God  to  the  worsship 
and  wele  of  us  and  this  oure  reaume  and  to  the  rebuke 
and  shame  of  oure  saide  adversaries  and  evill  willers  pur- 
poos  j  one  the  greet  nieane  shall  mowe  be  that  we  be 
greetly  and  notabley  purveyed  and  ordained  of  men  and 
of  myght  upon  the  see  by  meane  of  the  whiche  we  shall 

I  4 


120  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [14  5« 

not  only  with  out  delaie  or  tarrying  as  the  caas  shall  re- 
quire  mowe  goo  over  in  oure  owne  persone  and  also  lette 
the  leying  of  any  siege  by  water  to  oure  saide  towne  of 
Calais  and  the  bringing  thidre  of  the  saide  ordinaunce  j 
but  also  ordaine  men  for  to  lande  whenne  and  where  it 
shalbe  thought  available  to  us  and  ours  and  moost  harme- 
full  to  oure  said  adversaries.    For  execution  of  the  whiche 
meane  we  have  ordained  oure  cousin  th*Erle  of  Shroues- 
bury  to  have  the  leding  reule  and  governaunce  of  oure 
saide  puissance  upon  the  see  4  wherto  he  is  welle  agrede 
and  hath  taken  it  upon  him  j  and  have  nowe  w^holde  and 
ordeigned  certayne  other  capitaignes  and  carraks  to  do 
service  in  fulfilling  of  oure  said  purpoos  v  to  furthering 
of  the  which  we  have  nowe  ordeigned  the  Grace  Dieu 
and  other  shippes  of  oure  lande  in  notable  nombre  that 
be  nowe  in  Tems  Sandwich  Wynchelse  and  in  other  ports 
here  nygh  to  be  redy  therto  withoute  delay  or  tarying  4 
to  ye  which  oure  purpoos  and  entente  we  have  welle 
understande  yat  among  alle  oyer  persones  in  yis  oure 
lande  of  what  degree  condition  or  estate  yat  yai  be  ye  be 
aswell  disposed  as  we  canne  desire  you  for  to  be  v  wher- 
fore  we  hertely  thanke  you  j  holding  for  certaine  yt  ye 
wol  so  continue.    For  somoche  we  write  unto  you  ex- 
hortyng  and  hertely  praying  you  yat  ye  as  oure  trust  is 
on  you  doo  alle  ye  labour  and  diligence  possible  unto  you 
to  enduce  as  many  owners  of  shippes  knyghtes  squyers 
and  oyer  personnes  in  ye  contree  yat  ye  enhabet  and  dwell 
inne  to  ye  same  so  as  we  may  have  cause  to  kune  thaime 
thanke  and  to  understande  yerby  the  desire  and  love  yat 
you  have  and  here  to  the  seure  and  saufgard  of  oure 
saide  towne  of  Calais  and  ye  marche  yerof  and  also  to 
th'eschewing  of  ye  hurts  and  harraes  yat  sholde  mowe 
faille  to  yis  oure  lande.     And  to  ye  entente  to  yeve  thoo 
that  ye  shall  speke  unto  to  have  ye  more  courage  to 


1452.]  30  HENRY  VL  121 

the  fullfylling  of  oure  desire  j  we  exhorte  require  and 
hertely  pray  yat  ye  wol  take  upon  you  the  leding  and  the 
bringing  of  the  saide  shippes  and  ye  men  yat  yai  shalbe 
enforced  with  to  the  Downes  of  Sandewyche  or  to  the 
Canibre  with  all  diligence  and  spede  possible  y  and  to 
enduce  such  as  ye  shall  come  and  mowe  of  the  notablest 
knyghtes  and  persones  of  y^  contree  such  as  tho  that  shall 
come  with  ye  saide  shipes  wolde  be  reuled  by  to  do  yaire 
parte  w*  you  in  ye  ledy ng  of  ye  saide  shippes  to  oon  of  ye 
places  above  saide  j  yevyng  us  knowlach  of  yaire  names 
to  ye  entente  yat  we  may  sende  unto  you  and  yaim  oure 
letters  of  commission  suche  as  ye  caas  shall  require.  And 
to  ye  ende  yat  yai  shall  ye  more  effectuelly  entende  unto 
your  exortation  and  sturyng  on  yis  behalve  we  sende  oure 
letters  under  oure  privee  seel  to  suche  as  ye  woU  make 
yaim  to  be  subscribed  unto  of  credence  committed  unto 
you  to  be  sayde  to  yaim  such  as  shalbe  thought  unto  you 
expedient  and  behovefulL  And  for  as  moche  as  yis  matier 
suffreth  noo  delay  nor  tarying  we  wol  and  charge  you  yat 
of  ye  disposicion  towardnesse  and  good  wille  yat  ye  finde 
in  oure  subjetts  such  as  ye  shall  have  communication 
vith  on  oure  behalf^  the  which  yaire  disposition  and 
towardnesse  as  we  trust  and  trewe  verraily  shalbe  right 
good  J  ye  certiffie  us  in  alle  haaste  possible  after  ye  re- 
ceyvyng  of  yees  oure  letters  v  of  ye  which  we  trust  to 
God  shall  growe  as  greet  worship  and  wele  to  us  and  yis 
oure  lande  and  as  greet  a  rejoising  to  you  and  oyer  y* 
shalbe  executours  of  this  oure  desire  as  at  any  tyme  hath 
growe  to  any  subjetts  or  dwellers  of  yis  oure  lande  by  any 
takyng  upon  of  ly ke  service  yat  any  of  yaim  hath  doon  to 
ye  same  j  and  yat  ye  in  noo  wyse  faille  herein.  Yeven 
Ttc.  att  Westm  ye  xiiij.  day  of  March  ye  yere  Ic.  xxx. 

To  the  Lord  ClyfTord. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Xangport. 


122  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1452. 

[^Ibid,  art.  8.    The  Letter  of  credence  alluded  to  in  the  preceding 

article,  14th  March,  SO  Hen.  VI.  1452.] 

By  the  King. 

TnusTY  and  welbeloved  j  Forasmuch  as  we  have  com- 
mitted to  our  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Lord  Clifford 
certain  matiers  greetly  concemyng  the  worship  and  wel- 
fare of  oure  lande  and  of  alle  oure  subgetts  to  be  upened 
unto  you^  we  wil  that  in  that  he  or  any  other  in  his 
name  shal  shewe  and  declare  unto  you  on  oure  behalve 
in  this  partie  ye  yeve  full  feith  and  credence  like  as  ye 
herd  us  speke  it  in  oure  owne  persone.  Yeven  1c.  at 
Westm  the  xiiij.  day  of  Marche  the  yere  tc.  xxx**. 

[7&uf.  art.  9.    Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Clifford,  dated  22nd  March, 

30  Hen.VI.  1452.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved ^  We  grete  you  welly 
lating  you  wite  yat  we  wrote  unto  you  but  late  agoo  oure 
letters  imder  oure  prive  seal  bereing  date  the  xiiij.  day  of 
yis  moneth  of  Marche  j  by  ye  whiche  we  lete  you  wite 
oure  purpos  as  towarde  ye  setting  of  a  grete  and  notable 
armee  to  the  see  for  ye  causes  specified  in  ye  same  oure 
letters  j  and  yat  as  we  have  wele  understande  amonge  all 
the  persones  in  yis  oure  lande  of  what  degree  condition 
or  astate  yat  yai  be  ye  be  as  well  disposed  as  we  can 
desire  you  for  to  be  j  the  which  youre  noble  and  courage 
disposicion  is  not  lassed  sith  yat  tyme  as  we  have  wele 
understande  by  ye  reporte  of  a  servaunt  of  youres  late 
sent  from  you  to  th'entente  to  knowe  oure  disposicion  and 
ye  contynuaunce  yerof ./  the  saide  matier  of  ye  sending  of 
ye  which  youre  servaunt  and  ye  perseveraunce  of  your 
said  disposicion  we  thank  you  as  hertely  as  we  best  canne. 
And  as  for  spedy  execution  of  oure  entente  and  desire  in 
ye  saide  matier  as  toward  y*  that  may  goodly  be  doo  by 


145S.]  SO  HENRY  VI.  123 

you  in  thoo  parties  vat  ye  dwele  in  and  fulfilling  of  ye 
specialitees  comprised  in  oure  said  letters  late  sent  unto 
you  we  sende  you  closed  within  yees  an  instruction  con- 
teynyng  yadvises  of  us  and  of  oure  counsaille  in  yat 
behalf^  to  ye  undelayed  execution  of  ye  whiche  we  pray 
you  as  hertely  as  we  can  effectuelly  to  entende  ^  and  oure 
Lorde  have  you  in  his  keping.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  ye 
xxij.  day  of  Marche  the  yere  1c.  xxx. 

To  oure  right  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved  y*  Lorde  Clyfforde. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

[Rid,  art.  10.    Copy  of  the  Instructions  alluded  to  in  the  preceding 

letter.] 

Th££S  that  folowen  ben  th'articles  conteignyng  the 
thinges  that  we  desire  to  be  executed  by  oure 
right  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Lord  Clyfford 
with  thoo  that  been  specified  in  the  letters 
directed  unto  him  bering  date  the  xiiij.  day  of 
this  March. 

First  as  towards  the  shippes  bein  as  nowe  in  that 
countreej  the  which  we  desire  to  be  encreced  to  be 
ordeigned  and  if  the  caas  require  it  to  be  arrested  to 
do  us  and  this  land  service  at  this  time  and  to  be  there 
vitailled  and  manned^  the  names  ben  such  as  folowe^ 
that  is  to  say  j  your  owne  shippe  if  it  be  redy  j  the 
Antony  of  Hull  ^  the  George  of  Hull  j  the  Valentyne 
of  Hull  •;  tlie  Trinite  of  Dertmouth  clerk  shipp  j  and 
if  for  any  cause  resonnable  any  of  thecs  may  not  be 
hadde  or  if  it  be  thought  to  your  discrecion  any  other 
more  behovefuU  thanne  sume  of  thees  to  be  hadde  j  that 
thanne  ye  dispose  as  it  shalbe  thought  moost  behovefuU 
unto  us. 


124  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1452: 

Item  that  ye  yeve  knowelach  and  informacion  to  the 
owners  of  the  said  shippes  and  other  persones  of  thrifte 
of  the  right  goodewille  and  towardnesse  that  we  fynde 
here  in  divers  of  thoo  that  been  awners  of  shippes  and 
in  other  personnes  to  vitaille  at  her  owne  charge  and 
coste  shippes  such  as  ben  here  to  ye  see  upon  trust  and 
hope  of  ye  goode  that  shall  growe  to  us  and  to  oure  lande 
therby  and  of  the  good  fortune  and  lucre  yt  with  Goddis 
grace  shall  also  growe  to  thaim  by  the  same  j  and  yer- 
upon  do  all  the  diligence  that  ye  shall  mowe  to  enduce 
such  as  ben  owners  of  shippes  there  and  othre  personnes 
there  to  doo  the  same  j  of  the  which  as  we  had  informa- 
tion divers  of  thaim  not  long  agoo  were  wele  disposed 
and  welwilled. 

Item  for  as  moch  as  we  desire  algates  a  m\  personnes 
at  the  leest  to  be  hadde  oute  of  that  countree  to  do  us 
service  in  the  said  shippes  y  we  wol  that  as  towards  yoo 
that  ye  shall  not  mowe  purveye  at  the  charge  of  vitailling 
of  other  personnes  ye  encrece  and  ordaine  thaim  to  come 
at  oure  vitailling  in  semblewise  as  we  doo  sume  here  that 
is  to  say  grauntyng  thaim  xij.  d.  a  weke  beside  thair 
wynnyng  of  werr  such  as  by  the  custume  of  the  see  shall 
mowe  growe  to  thaim. 

And  to  th'entente  yat  ye  shall  mowe  withoute  lette  or 
obstacle  execute  all  that  shalbe  nedefuU  in  ye  matiers 
abovesaide^  we  sende  you  forthwith  thees  divers  our 
letters  patentes  of  commissions  oon  of  auctoritee  and 
power  sufficient  to  rule  and  gouveme  all  yoo  that  ye 
shall  bring  with  you  for  ye  tyme  conteigned  in  ye  same 
an  othre  commission  to  arrest  shippes  maistres  of  shippes 
and  mariners  suche  as  shall  nede  for  the  rule  gover- 
naunce  and  guyding  of  alle  the  said  shippes  that  ye  shall 
conduyte  with  you  for  oure  said  service^  and  to  y eve  you 


1452.]  30  HENRY  VI.  125 

ye  more  cause  and  courage  effectuelly  to  execute  this 
oure  desire  and  entente  we  have  ordeigned  yat  ye  shalbe 
contented  yerfore  by  way  of  rewarde  of  ye  somme  of 
c.  marc. 

Item  as  towardes  knightes  and  notable  squiers  suche 
as  ye  shall  mowe  gete  to  accompaigny  you  and  to  have 
the  rule  of  eny  oofi  of  the  saide  shippes  and  of  ye 
felasship  that  is  therin  we  have  appointed  that  he  that 
suche  governaunce  shall  have  shall  have  beside  the  vi- 
tailling  of  him  and  of  his  men  and  beside  the  geting 
that  he  shal  have  by  the  custume  of  ye  see  by  way  of 
rewarde  the  some  of  x.  marc  or  x.  ti.  after  your  discre- 
tion. 

And  as  towardes  all  such  persones  as  ye  shall  have  or 
withholde  to  do  service  in  your  company  we  wol  that  ye 
take  of  thaim  such  suerte  as  ye  shall  resonnably  mowe 
gete  that  yai  shall  entend  and  obeye  to  your  commaunde- 
ment  and  to  youre  rule  and  nothing  attempte  ayenst  any 
of  thoo  that  be  oure  allies  or  yat  stande  in  trewe  with 
as  or  that  have  oure  saufconduyt  but  only  opone  oure 
enemyes  ye  which  been  yees  ^  ye  subgits  of  ye  King  of 
Castell  and  Lyon  Bretons  and  all  yoo  y*  ben  subgitts  of 
oure  adversarie  of  Fraunce  and  holde  his  partie  excepte 
ye  Due  of  Bourgaigne  w*  whom  we  stande  in  trewe  for 
suche  contrees  as  belong  unto  him  and  ben  in  his  rule 
and  obeissance. 

llbid.  art.  11.  Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Ponyngs  warden  of  the 
east  marches  towards  Scotland,  Sir  Robert  Ogle  lieutenant  of  Tin* 
dale,  John  Heron  of  Ford  lieutenant  of  Redesdale,  and  Ralph  Grey 
lieutenant  of  Roxburgh,  4th  May,  30  Uen.Vl.  1452.] 

By  the  Kiog. 

Eight  trusty  and  welbeloved  cosin  j  Ho  it  be  that  we 
have  understande  that  now  late  certain  things  prejudi- 


126  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1452- 

ciable  and  contrarie  to  th'efFect  and  tenure  of  the  trues 
and  abstinences  of  werr  beyng  betwix  us  and  oure  cosin 
the  King  of  Scotts  have  be  doo  and  attempted  by  certain 
of  the  subgetts  of  oure  said  cosin  j  and  namely  as  we  ben 
enfourmed  suche  as  belong  to  the  rewle  and  governance 
of  th'Erle  of  Duglasy  wherof  certain  oure  subgitts  have 
take  occasion  us  not  knowing  to  entre  into  the  reaume  of 
Scottelande  and  to  commit  semble  attempts  v  the  which 
if  it  should  so  at  any  tyme  continue  grete  inconvenience 
were  like  to' ensue  therof  j  We  therfor  write  unto  you 
at  this  tyme  willing  and  in  the  straitest  wise  charging  you 
upon  the  faith  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto  us  not  w^ 
standing  the  things  abosaideye  by  all  the  waies  and  meanes 
possible  unto  you  observe  and  kepe  and  make  to  be  ob- 
served and  kept  the  said  trewes  after  the  tenure  and  con- 
tinue of  the  same  j  lating  you  witte  that  if  and  whenne 
we  shalbe  advised  for  any  causes  resonable  no  longer  to 
entende  to  the  keping  therof  we  shall  late  you  have  know- 
lech  of  oure  entent  4  before  which  tyme  we  will  that  upon 
the  pain  above  reherced  ye  ne  doo  nor  in  wise  as  ferr  as 
in  you  is  suffice  to  be  doo  by  any  othre  thing  that  shall 
mowe  sounde  or  be  to  the  contrarie.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm 
the  iiij.  day  of  May. 

To  our  right  trusty  and  weloved  cosin  ye 
Lord  Ponyngs  wardein  of  oure  estmarchis 
towards  Scotteland. 

Item  semble  to  Robert  Ogle  knight  bailif 
and  lieuetennant  of  Tyndale. 

Item  to  John  Heron  of  Ford  lieuetennant  of 
Reddesdale. 

Item  semble  to  Rauf  Grey  lieuetennant  of 
Rokesbourgh. 


1452.]  30  HENRY  VI.  127 

[llrid.  art.  12.    Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Poynings,  dated  4th  May, 

SO  Hen, VI.  1452.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cosin  y  We  have  under- 
stande  and  seen  and  made  to  be  seen  by  lords  of  oure 
Counsail  your  letters  late  sent  unto  the  moost  reverend 
fader  in  God  John  archbisshop  and  cardinal  of  Yorke 
oure  chaunceller  conteyning  how  that  certain  things  pre- 
judicial and  contrarie  to  th'efiect  and  tenure  of  the  trues 
betwix  us  and  oure  cosin  the  King  of  Scotts  have  now- 
late  be  do  and  attempted  by  the  subgitts  of  oure  said 
cousin  J  as  in  youre  said  letters  it  is  expressed  more  at 
large  j  and  be  right  wel  content  of  your  advertisement 
and  thanke  you  hertly  therof ./  lating  you  wite  that  we 
have  adressed  oure  letters  of  prive  seel  unto  the  persones 
named  in  the  same  youre  said  letters  for  y'entreteyning 
and  keping  of  the  said  true  according  to  your  said  writing 
and  advertisement  in  semble  fourme  and  after  the  tenure 
of  such  as  we  sende  also  to  you  with  thees.  Yeven  1c  at 
Westm  the  iiij.  day  of  May. 

To  cure  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cousin  the  Lord 
Ponyngs  ut  supra  anno  Ic.  xxx' 


>mo 


[Z^  art.  13.     Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  2l8t  May» 

30  Hen.VI.  1452.] 

To  the  Kyng  oure  soverain  lord. 

MoosT  mekely  sheweth  unto  youre  highnesse  Robert 
Ponyngges  youre  true  liegeman  j  that  whereas  he  by 
another  his  petition  unto  the  same  youre  highnesse  afore 

tyme  hath howe  there  as  in  tyme  of  his  streit 

emprisonement  in  youre  Towre  of  London  by  youre 
most  dredfuU  commaundement  there  was  an  exigend  of 
treson  in  youre  court  afore  youre  justices  of  Oier  and 
Terminer  in  youre  shire  of  Kent  assigned  awarded  ayeins 
youre  seid  true  liegeman  by  his  defaute  by  reson  of  the 


i 


128  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1452. 

same  his  emprisonement myght  have  saved 

like  as  of  recorde  therof  by  youre  commaundement  cer- 
tified into  youre  chancere  and  afterward  by  vertue  of 

youre  writte  sende  unto  youre  justices  for 

pleynly  hith  appereth  j  in  which  petition  was  conteigned 
the  corapleynt  of  the  seid  youre  besecher  of  that  that 
youre  Eschetour  of  Sussex  by  coloure  of  the  seide  exigend 

to  youre  most  honurable  handes  seised  alle 

the  godes  of  youre  seide  besecher  as  to  you  forfaited  by 
reson  of  his  saide  defaute  j  whiche  as  afore  he  myght  not 

save  •  •  .  •  where hit  youre  seide  highnesse 

to  be  remembred  howe  ye  of  youre  most  habundant  grace 
granted  atte  seide  petition  of  youre  seid  besecher  that  he 

shuld  not  be  endamiged his  saide  godes 

and  catall  by  reason  of  that  exigend  so  awarded  by  such 
his  defaute  y  and  to  considere  soverain  lord  howe  that 

not  withstandyng  youre  seide  gi*aunte  yet 

youre  seide  then  Eschetour  the  seide  godes  and  catall  into 
youre  seid  handes  by  reason  of  the  seid  exigend  to  seise 
and  therinne  to  reteign  he  cesseth  not  unto  the  uttermost 

of  youre  seid  besecher  and  ayens  alle  reason 

gode  feith  and  conscience  y  Wherefore  hit  please  youre 
seid  highnesse  to  grante  youre  severel  writtes  of  super- 
sedeas to  be  directed  Eschetours  of  Sussex  and 

Kent  theim  chargyng  to  surcesse  of  theire  seid  seisin  of 
the  seid  godes  and  catal  and  youre  seid  handes  therof  to 

amoeve  them  delyvery youre  seid  besecher 

withoute  delay  ^  and  he  shall  pray  to  God  and  to  Oure  Lady 
his  blessed  moder  for  youre  high  and  right  noble  estate. 

At  Shene.     This  bill  was  commanded  by  the  Kyng  to  be  put  to 

execution  after  the  tenure  of  the  same  4  and  was 

by  the  Kyng  taken  unto  ye  Deaune  of  P 

of  his  prive  seel  to  make  letters  to  the  Chanc  ye 
xxj.  day  of  May  ye  yere  1c.  xxx*^  4  present  my 
Lord  Chanc  Somerset  and  WyncH 


1463.]  31  HENRY  VI.  129 

Acta  de  Anno  Tricesimo  primo. 

[BibL  Cotton.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.  234.   Original. 

Memorandum  relative  to  the  appointment  of  council  on  behalf  of  John 
Lyalton,  the  appellant,  and  Robert  Norrejs,  the  defendant,  on  an 
appeal  of  high  treason,  11th  May,  31  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

M*'  that  on  the  xj.  day  of  May  in  the  xxxj.  yer  of  the 
reign  of  owr  sovayn  lord  Kyng  Henr  the  Sext  at  a  court 
holden  thene  in  the  Whit  Halle  at  Westm  by  Jolin  Hanford: 
knyght  lieuten^nte  unto  the  ryght  noble  Pnce  f  Edmond 
due  of  So^s  \  constable  of  Englond  John  Lyaltoii  ap- 
pelled  Robt  Norres  of  high  treson  the  which  he  sur- 
mitted  to  have  beefi  don  unto  owr  seid  souvajrri  lord  by 
the  seid  Robt  and  the  said  Robt  denyed  that  appelle 
to  be  true  j  wheropoii  the  seid  pties  joyned  battaitt  to  be 
don  betwix  theyin  and  [the]  xxv.  day  fro  thene  next 
suyng  thay  wer  assigned  1  limitted  ther  1  by  the  seid 
Lieutenant  to  do  the  seid  bataitt  in  Smythfeld  j  and  aft 
that  in  the  seid  White  Halle  at  a  court  holden  byfor  the 
seid  Lieuten^nte  at  the  special  request  of  both  the  seid 
pties  it  was  assigned  1  lymitted  that  ayther  of  the  seid 
pties  shuld  do  that  batailt  w*  certen  weppens  j  that  is  to 
say  J  w*  gley  ve  short  sword  daggi  1  w*  axe  instede  of 
longe  sword  j  and  at  the  request  of  the  seid  John 
Lyalton  ther  was  assigned  John  Astley  knyght  Thomas 
Parker  Edward  Bronfeld  Thomas  Mongomery  1  Laurence 
Reynford  squiers  Philip  Treher  \  Thomas  Parker  ar- 
morer for  to  be  of  counseB  w*  the  seid  John  Lyaltoii  for 
the  p^missez  1  Thomas  Bee  peynto^  for  thyngf  concernyng 
the  pPoiissez  and  also  Hugh  John  knyght  Elys  Long- 
worth  Thomas  Meryng  James  Hyde  1  Thomas  Keyle 
squiers  1  Thomas  Cotton  wirdrawer  wer  assigned  to  be 
of  counsett  w*  the  seid  Roht  Norres  for  the  p^missez  and 
also  Everard  Frer  armorer  1  Piers  Hulke  peynto*"  wer 

VOL.  VI.  K 


ISO  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  ^      [1463. 

assigned  to  be  attendant  to  the  seid  defendant  as  for 
armyng  1  peyntur  the  whictl  resonable  shuld  belonge 
unto  the  seid  defendant  for  spede  of  the  p^missez  j  wher- 
for  ther  ough  to  be  made  a  p^ve  seaB  to  the  Chaunceller 
of  Englond  for  to  directe  a  wiitte  to  the  Shirefs  of  Lon- 
don that  they  make  redy  in  att  thyng  the  place  in 
Smythfeld  ayenst  the  seid  xxv.  day^  that  is  to  say^ 
in  gravelyng  \  sandyng  the  seid  place  \  in  makyng  a 
scaffold  for  the  Kyng  \  barrers  "X  lystez  covably  It  suJBS- 
ciantly  for  bataitt  ther  to  be  hadde  j  also  ther  aght  to  be 
seraff  Ires  und  the  p*ve  seatt  directe  unto  evy  psoSi 
assigned  or  lymitted  for  ayther  of  the  seid  pties  for  to 
do  as  it  is  above  rehersed  j  also  ther  aght  a  pVe  seaS 
directe  to  the  Sergeant  of  the  Kyngf  armory  or  to  his 
deputie  c5maundyng  hym  for  to  ordeigne  ^  p'vey  suflS- 
ciaunt  It  coveuient  armor  T;  weppeii  for  pformyng  of  the 
seid  batailt. 

By  the  seid  Jotin  Hanford  knyght 


[Additional  MS.  461  !•  art*  35.  a  modern  TranBcripL 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  Thomas  Stanley  and  Sir  Thomas  Haring- 
ton,  knights,  dated  16th  May,  and,  apparently,  in  the  Slst  Hen«VI. 

1453.] 

By  the  King. 

Trustt  and  wellbeloved is  doo  us  to  under- 

stande  that  oure  right  trusty  and  right  welbeloved  cousin 
the  Due  of  Excestre  j  oure  right  trusty  and  welbeloved 
the  Lord  Egremond  j  and  other  j  make  greet  assemblees 
and  gaderings  of  oure  people  to  no  good  entent  as  it  is 
noysedy  for  the  which  cause  oure  right  trusty  and  right 
entierly  welbeloved  cousin  the  Due  of  York  protectour 
and   defensour   of  this   oure  reaume   draweth    him    by 


\ 
I 


H58.]  31  Hf^NRY  VI.  131 

th'avis  of  oure  counsaill  to  thaime  ward  to  redresse 
such  inordinate  demeanyng  and  to  resiste  tkaire  malice 
if  nede  be.  For  somoche  we  write  unto  you  willing  and 
desireing  if  in  the  contree  where  as  ye  be  any  persones 
wolde  moeve  theim  and  resorte  to  the  saide  gaderings 
that  be  all  the  meanes  ye  canne  or  may  ye  doo  thaim  in 
alle  wises  to  surceesse  and  over  that  to  waite  upon  oure 
said  cousin  Protectour  and  assiste  him  yf  he  soo  com- 
maunde  you  to  doo  w^  alle  diligence  might  and  poair 
that  ye  can  make  for  the  redressing  of  the  saide  as- 
sembles and  evil  disposed  porpoos.  Beside  this  also 
we  wol  desire  and  also  charge  you  as  ye  love  us  and 
the  well  of  this  oure  lande  that  ye  so  holde  you  in 
oonhed  aswell  with  S'  Thomas  Harington  as  alle  other 
that  by  noon  occasion  of  difference  the  people  take 
colour  to  stire  j  in  somoche  as  therby  might  ensue  greet 
inconvenience  seyng  the  disposition  of  the  said  riottous 
gaderings  at  this  tyme  4  and  in  thoos  things  aforesaide  ye 
shall  do  us  right  good  service  and  singuler  plesir  4  latyng 
you  wite  that  in  semble  wyse  we  have  writen  unto  oure 
trusty  and  welbeloved  Thomas  Harington  knight.  Yeven 
1c.  at  Westm  the  xvj,  day  of  May. 

To  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved 
S'  Thomas  Stanley  knyght. 

Item  semble  to  Thomas  Haring- 
ton knyght. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii.    Pre- 

sentibus  Dominis  Episcopis  Winton  Elien  Norwic  Lincoln 

Decan  Sancti  Severini  Duce  Buck  Sar  Cane  Exon  Wygorn 

Thes  Angliae  Comil  Priore  Sancti  Johannis  Duddeley 

Stourton  Ttc. 

T.  Kent. 


K   2 


132  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  C.  i.  f.  236.  Original 

Petition  of  John  Lyalton^  who  had  appealed  Robert  Norreys  of  treasoHi 
with  the  Answers,  between  the  llth  and  25th  May,  31  Hen.  VI. 
1463.     Vide  Excerpta  Historica,  p.  391.] 

To  the  King  our  soverain  lorde. 

Besecheth  you  mekely  Jolin  Lyaltoii  your  liegeman 
that  it  please  unto  your  higlinesse  to  have  in  knowlegge 
ho  we  that  in  the  courte  holden  in  your  White  Halle  at 
Westin  byfore  the  right  noble  Prince  Sir  Emond  due  of 
SoiSset  and  constable  of  Englond  there  appered  I  the  seid 
John  Lyalton  and  oone  Roht  Norres  in  our  ppre  psones  j 
and  I  the  seid  John   than  and  there  appeled  )>e  seid 
Roht  of  high  treson  by  him  p'posed   and  moeved  to 
have  be  doon  unto  you  soverain  lorde  j  and  the  seid  Roht 
denyed  that  appele  to  be  true  j  wher  upon  [we]  the  seid 
parties  joyned  bataille  to  be  doone  bitwene  us  j  and  it 
was  assigned  there  by  the  court  holdeii  upon    Friday 
next  after  the  feest  of  Ascencion  of  our  Lorde  last 
passed  ^  that  we  the  seid  parties  shoulde   doo  batailt 
upon    the    xxv.  day  of  Juyn    next    now  c5myng    in 
Smythefeldy  and  after  that  for  eyther  of  us  J>e  seid 
parties  by  ))e  courte  ))?e  was  assigned  certein  wepens 
w*  the  which  we  shulde  fight  and  certein  psones  to  be 
sePally  of  our  counseiB  as  for  feates  of  armes  and  also 
an  armurer  and  a  peyntour  after  the  custume  in  the  seid 
courte  of  olde  tyme  used  j  Wherfor  plese  it  unto  your 
highnesse  to  yeve  in  commaundement  to  the  Keper  of 
y6ur  prive  sealle  to  make  in  due  fourme  such  and  as 
many  of  your  tres  under  your  p've  sealle  as  shalle  be 
necessarie    for    J)e    spede    and    the    pfo^myng   of   the 


The  King's  autograph.  ^  jyf ^y  i  ith. 


1453.]  SI  HENRY  Vl.  133 

pmisses  and  of  echon  of  theym  and  of  alle  other  thingf 
concern3mg  pe  Pmisses  in  any  man!e  wise  j  and  he  shalle 
pray  to  God  for  you. 

Lres  herupon  wer  maad  [to]  pe  persones  named  in 
cedules  herto  annexid  ]>e  day  and  date  in  ]>e 
same  cedules  expssed  and  after  the  tenures 
in  pe  same  cedules  composed. 


IIM.  f.234.  OriginaL 
Minutes  of  the  Council,  on  or  about  the  2Srd  May,  31  Hen. VI.  1453-3 

R,H.' 

Be  ther  maad  a  pVe  seel  in  due  fo'me  to  the  Chaun- 
celler  of  Englande  for  to  do  make  writtf  unto  the 
Shiriefff  of  London  ]>ay  for  to  do  make  a  skafibld  for 
the  King  ^  barrer^  \  listf  sufficeant  \  covenable  j  and  also 
gravel  and  sonde  the  grounde  in  Smithfe]de  wher  ]7e 
bataille  shalbe  at  }>e  Kingf  costf  and  expenses  and  )>ay 
J>?of  to  have  allowance  in  thaire  ferme  that  thay  be  to 
}dlde  unto  us  for  ])aire  saide  office. 

Item  be  per  maad  an  ottir  pVe  seel  in  due  fourme  to 
Jenkyn  of  Stanlay  sergeant  of  )>e  Kingf  armures  or  to 

hi^deputee  to  do  make sufficeant  and 

convenient  armure  and  wepeii  and  deliver  it  to  JoEin^ 
Lialton  appellant  for  his  fig'ht  in  Smit^elde. 

Item  be  ther  maad  an  othr  tre  of  prive  seel  in  due 
fo'me  to  Thomas  Bee  staynyo'  oofi  of  J>e  counsail  with 

)ie for  him  at  the  Kingf  costf  and 

expenses  suche  thingf  for  the  saide  battaille  as  belangeth 
to  his  crafte. 


1  The  King's  autograph. 
K  3 


I 


134  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

I  Ibid.  f.  255.    Original  draught. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John  Asteley  knight  and  Thomas  Mont- 
gomery esquire,  dated  23rd  May,  31  Hen.VL  1453.] 

By  the  K'. 
Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  asmocSi  as  in  J?e  courte 
holden  in  o'^  White  Halle  at  Westm  befor  o^  right  der 
and  o'  right  welbeloved  cousin  Edmund  due  of  Somset 
constable  of  Englande  upon  appolc  [an  appelle]  of  high 
treson  ayenst  o'  persone  batail  is  joyned  betwix  John 
Lyalton  appelent  appellant  and  Roht  Noreys  defen- 
dant to  be  doon  in  Smythfelde  ]>e  xxv.  day  of  Juyn  next 
comyng  y  to  J>e  which  John  Lyalton  ye  be  assigned  to  be 
of  counsaile  j  We  wol  J>erfor  and  charge  you  pat  [J?erto] 
ye  attende  as  pe  lawe  of  armes  [axeth]  and  requireth  j 
and  ])ies  our  Tres  shal  be  unto  you  herr  her  inne  war- 
rant.   Yeven  1c.  at  Westm  pe  xxiij.  day  of  May  the  yer 

1c.  xxxj. 

i  John  Asteley  knight, 

Tho*s  Mungomerey  squier* 


\^Ibid.    Letter  from  the  King  to  Thomas  Bee^  painter,  dated  24th  May, 

31  Hen.  VI.  1453.] 
By  'pe  Kyng. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  asmoche  as  in  J?e  cr^orte 
halden  in  our  White  Halle  at  Westm  befor  our  rizt'  der 
and  rizt  welbeloved  cousin  Edmond  due  of  SoSset 
conestable  of  England  upon  an  appelle  of  heigh  txaison 
ayenst  our  psone  bataille  is  joyned  betwix  John  Lyalton 
appellant  and  Roht  Norreys  defendant  to  be  doofiL  in 
[West]  Smythfeld  the  xxv.  day  of  Juyn  next  comyng  j 
to  J)e  which  John  Lyalton  ye  be  assigned  to  be  of  coun- 
saily  we  wol  J>3for  and  charge  you  J)*  pi  to  ye  attendee 
and  also   }?*   ye  do  1  make  for  pe  said  Lyalton    such 


U5S.3  SL  HENRY  VI.  135 

}7iiigf  concnyng  ]7e  pmisses  as  belanget^  to  yo'  craft  j 
and  we  wol  Y  ye  leve  not  y  and  Y  J^^^  ^^^  Ires  be  unto 
you  herinne  sufficeant  warrant.  Yeveii  1c.  at  Westm 
\t  xxiiij.  day  of  May  j  the  yer  Ic.  xxxj. 

To  Th  Bee  peynto'. 

\JDnd.  Letter  from  the  King  to  Jenkyn  Stanley  esquire,  dated  24th  May, 

SI  Hen.VL  1453.1 
By  J7e  K'. 

Henr'  Ic.  to  our  trusty  and  welbeloved  squier  for  our 
body  Jekyn  Stanley  sergeant  of  our  annures  or  to  h" 
deputee  in  the  same  office  gretyng  y  For  asmoch  1c.  ut 
sup*  usqj  ^  to  J>e  whicft  et  Ic.  sic  j  we  wol  J)]for  and  charge 
you  Y  [in  alle  goodely  haste]  at  our  costf  \  expenses 
ye  do  be  maad  \  dolived  sufficeant  \  convenient  armur 
t  wepeii  for  J^e  said  bataiff  and  delived  to  ]>e  said  JoTin 
Lyaltoii  [for  h'  said  fizt]  j  and  we  wol  Y  1^^®  our  Ires 
be  unto  you  her  inne  sufficeant  warrant  j  and  Y  ^y  \^ 
same  ye  have  [J>jof]  due  allouance  in  yo'  accountf .. 
Yeven  ut  sup*. 

By  ]>e  K'. 
Henr'  to  J>e  Chaunceller  1c.  j  For  asmoch  ut  px  sup*y 
we  wol  pjfor  1  charg  you  Y  Y^  ^^  ^^  maad  our  writtf 
undr  our  gret  seal  in  due  fourme  [and  accusturaed]  to 
be  directed  to  J>e  sherriefs  of  London  [and  of  Midd]  Y 
nowe  be  j  comaundyng  J?eim  by  J)e  same  Y  at  our  costf  1 
expenses  pei  do  be  maad  ayenst  )>abovesaid  xxv.  day 
covenably  1  sufficeantly  b&ffer^  in  [West]  Smyttfeld 
barrers  1  lystes  for  ]>e  said  bataiH  j  and  also  to  ordeine 
Y^  1)8  plac  wher  Y  1^  ^^^  bataiH  shal  be  j  be  ayenst  pe 
said  day  wel  graveled  and  sanded  y  and  also  Y  li^^  ^^ 
make  a  convenient  skaffold  for  us  to  have  pe  sight  of 
pe  said  bataiH  y   and  Y  ^®   J^  ^^^^  writtf  . 

K  4 


•    •    •   • 


136  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

allouance  in  J)eir  accountf  of  J>eir 

offif  of  aH  sucli  costf  'I   expenses 

in  ))"  behalf.     Yeven  Ic.  at  Westm  ut  sup*. 

llbid*  f.  286.  Original.     Petition  to  the  King,  from  John  Lyalton  the 
appellant,  with  the  Answer,  dated  29th  May,  31  Hen.VI.  1453.] 

To  the  King  our  soverain  lorde. 
R.  H.^ 

Besecheth'  fulle  mekely  your  true  liege   man  John 

Lyalton  that  where  as  I  the  seid  Jolin  in  your  quarrett 

have  joyned  bataille  w*  oone  Robert  Norres  in  our  ppre 

psones  bitwene  us  to  be  doon  in  Smythfeld  the  xxv.  day 

of  Juyn  next  commyngy  which  day  approcheth  fulle  nere 

and  I  nat  fully  purveyed  as  yit  of  certein  necessaries 

and  other  thinges  to  me  pteyning  and  moost  nedefulle 

for  lakke  of  a  certein  of  money  to  be  hadde  therfore  j 

that  it  please    unto  your  habundant  grace  the   pmises 

considered  to  ordein  and  graunte  that  I  your  seid  sup- 

pliaunt  may  have  such  a  certein  of  money  as  shalle  like 

your  higllnesse  to  yeve  and  graunte  unto  me  j  and  here 

upon  to  yeve  in  charge  and  commaundement  unto  your 

Tresorer   of  Englond  by  your  Ires  of  prive   sealle   to 

make  paiement  of  pe  seid  money  unto  me  in  alle  bastie 

woise  w^  out  any  delay  or  excuse  j  and  also  to  yeve  in 

charge  and  comaundement  unto  Clampard  your  smytt 

for  such  wepens  as  me  behoveth  to  have  for  the   seid 

bataille  under  your  Ires   of  prive  sealle  j  and  he  shalle 

pray  to  Godde  for  you. 

J>e  Ire  herof  was  maad  The  King  wol  he  have 

at  Westm  J?e  xxix.  day  of  ^  v.  mrcz  j  pntz  my  Lord  of 
Mayy  }>e  yerlc.  xxxj.  Worcestr  tsorier  of  Eng- 

lande  and  £  Phelip  Went- 

worth. 

1  The  King's  autograph. 


1453.]  31  HENRY  VI.  137 

[ii^    Petition  of  Robert  Norreys,  the  defendant  in  the  said  appeal, 
with  the  Answer,  22nd  June,  SI  Hen.VI.  1453.] 

To  the  Kyng  oure  soveyn  lord. 

R.  H.i 

Besecheth'  mekly  yo'  pov  ligemaii  Ro15t  Norrys  that 

it  please   yo^  highnesse  to  have  in  knowlych  how  that 

in  yo'  Co't  holdeii  in  yo'  White  Halle  at  Westm  before 

the  ryght  noble  prynce  i  Edmond  duke  of  Somset  yo' 

constable  of  England   there  appered  John  Lyaltofl  Ht 

I  in  owre  ppre  psonesv  and  the   said  John  thanne  \ 

there  appeled  me  of  high  traison  the  whiche  he  sayde 

I  p'posed  to   have   do  unto  yow   soveyn  lord  ^  and  I 

denyed  that  appeH  to  be  trewe  j  wherupoii  we  the  saide 

partyes  joyned  batayle  to  be  dooii  betwene  us  j  and  it 

was  assigned  there  by  the  co't  holdeii  upon  Fryday  next 

aft  the  feste  of  the  Ascencion  of  owre  Lord  last  passed 

that  we  the  saide  partyes  sholde   do  batayle  upon  the 

V  xxiij.  day  of  July  next  now  comyng  in  Smythfeld  j  and 

aft  that  for  eyther  of  us  the  saide  partyes  by  the  court 

there  was  assigned  certayn  wepenes  w*  the  whiclie  we 

sholde  fyghte  and  certayn  psones  to  be  sevally  of  owre 

counceitt  as  for  feates  of  armes  and  also  an  armorer  1 

a  paynto^  aft  the  custume  of  the  said  co't  of  old  tyme 

used  :f  Wherfore  please  it  unto  yo'  highnesse  to  gyve  in 

comaundement  unto  the    Keper  of  yo'  pryve  seaH  to 

maake  in  due  fo'me   swyche  1  as  many  of  yo'^  lettres 

under  yo'^  pryve  seaH  as  shall  be  necessary  for  the  speed 

"l  the  pfo'^myng  of  the  p)misses  and  of  echoii  of  theym 

and  of  alle  othere  thynges  concernyng  the  p)mysses  in 

eny  manSe  wyse  j  and  he  shall  p*y  to  God  for  yow. 

The  Ire  was  maad  herupon  at  Westm  J>e  xxij.  day  of 
Juyfl  the  xxxj.  yer  of  the  Kingf  regne. 


'  The  King's  autograph,  which  occurs  twice,  in  consequence  of  the 
first  signature  having  been  imperfectly  written. 


138  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1463. 

[Ihid.  f.  237*  Letters  from  the  King  to  various  persons,  respecting  the 
said  appeal,  dated  22nd  June,  SI  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

By  the  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  y  For  asmoche  as  in  the  courte 
holden  in  oure  White  Halle  at  Westm  befor  oure  right 
dere  and  right  welbeloved  cousin  Edmond  due  of 
Somerset  conestable  of  Englande  upon  an  appele  of  higti 
treason  ayenste  oure  persone  j  bataille  is  joyned  betwix 
John  Lialton  appellant  and  Robert  Noreys  defendant 
to  be  doon  in  Smythfelde  the  morowe  after  Mary  Mag- 
dalenes  day  nexte  comyng  ^  j  to  the  whiche  Robert 
Noreys  ye  be  assigned  to  be  of  counsail  j  we  wol  ther- 
for  1  charge  you  1  evich  of  you  [J>at]  pito  ye  attende 
as  the  lawe  of  armes  axeth  and  requireth  j  and  we  wol 
that  ye  leve  not  this  j  and  thees  oure  Ires  shalbe  youre 
warant.  Yeven  undre  oure  prive  seel  at  Westm  the 
xxij.  day  of  Juyn. 

K  semble  tres  to  John  Cotton  wiredrawer  Everard  Frer 
armo'^er  and  Piers  Hulkf  paynto^  charging  thaim 
pst  therto  ]7ay  attende  ut  sup*^  and  w^  this  clause  w 
and  also  furthermor  we  geve  you  licence  that  to 
suche  J^ingf  as  concneth  yo'  crafte  ye  be  effec- 
tuelly  attendante  unto  him  and  do  it  at  his  costagt 
%  expn  J  and  J>ees  o'  Ires  shalbe  unto  you  henn 
sufficeant  warant.     Yeven  ut  sup^. 

To  Hugh  John  knight 
Elys  Langworth 
Tho»s  Keyle 
James  Hyde 
Tho*s  Mering  squiers. 

1  July  2Srd. 


I 


1453.]  SI  HENRY  VI.  139 

[Ibid.  f,236»    The  following  Memorandum  is  written  in  a  contem- 
porary hand,  on  a  separate  piece  of  parchment.] 

Me*'  qd  iu  cur  milicie  duellu^yadiatu  est  int  Johem 
Lyalton  appellanteni  1  Robtum  Norres  defendentem 
comittenS  in  Smythfeld  die  Lune  in  crastino  See  Marie 
Magd  px  nunc  futui  j  t  assignati  sunt  consiliarii  p  appel- 
lante  j  vidett  Jolies  Astley  miles  Thomas  Parker  Edwardus 
firomfeld  Laurencius  Reynford  Thomas  Mongomery  ar- 
mig? i  Phus  Treher  fystUnongj  e  ac  Thomas  Parker  armurer 
1  Thomas  Bee  pictor  j  et  silit  assignati  sunt  consiliarii  p 
defendente  pdco  j  vidett  Hugo  Jotin  miles  Elias  Long- 
worth  Thomas  Keyle  Jacobus  Hide  Thomas  Meryng 
armigii  Jo&es  Coton  wyredrawer  ac  Edwardus  Frere 
armurer  1,  Petrus  Hulke  pictor. 

llbid.  f.  237.  OriginaL 

Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  2Srd  June,  31  Hen.VI.  1453- 
Though  dated  in  the  30th  Hen.  VL,  it  is  certain,  from  the  other 
articles  respecting  this  <<  bataille,**  that  that  date  is  erroneous.] 

R,H.» 
Please  it  unto  the  King  our  soverain  lorde  of  your 
moost  noble  and  benigne  grace  to  graunte  unto  your 
humble  true  liegemaii  John  Lyalton  which  in  yo' 
quareB  gracious  lorde  hath  joyned  bataiH  w*  oone 
Robert  Norres  in  their  ppre  psones  to  be  doone  bitwene 
theim  in  Smythfeld  the  xxiij.  day  of  JuyB  next  c5myngy 
that  your  seid  suppliaunt  may  have  ij.  prive  seals  y  that 
oone  to  be  directed  unto  the  Sergeant  of  your  tentes  or 
to  the  Yomafi  of  your  same  tentes  in  absence  of  the  same 
Sergeant  for  a  tente  or  pavilon  to  be  hadde  for  your 
seid  suppliaunt  the  day  of  the*  seid  bataiB  j   and   that 


1  The  King's  autograph. 


140  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

Other  prive  seaH  to  be  directed  unto  [Jotn]  Clampard 
your  smytR  yeving  him  in  charge  and  comaundement 
by  the  same  to  make  in  alle  hasty  wise  for  your  seid 
suppliaunt  suc^  wepens  as  him  behoveth  to  have  for 
the  seid  bataille  j  and  he  shalle  pray  Godde  for  you. 

Lres  her  upon   wer   maad  as   is  above  desired  J^e 
xxiij.  day  of  Juyn  J?e  xxx.^  yer  Ic. 


[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  36.   a  moderD  TranteripL 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremont,  dated  7th  June>  31  Hen.VL 

1453.] 

By  the  King. 

Right    trusty    and   welbeloved  ^    For    certain   greet 

causes  and  considerations  suche   as  moove  usv  and  as 

most  of  reson  sitte  us  nigh  to  hert  we  will  and  never- 

thelesse   straitely   charge   you  y*    all  excusations  leide 

aparte  ye  in  alle  haste  possible  j  seen  thees  oure  letters  j 

come  personally  unto  oure  presence  to  here  and  under- 

stande  suche  things  as  then  shalbe  opened  unto  you  on 

oure  behalf^  and  we  woll  that  ye  faylle  not  herein  in 

any  wyse  and  as  ye  love  and  tendre  oure  worship  and 

welfare.      Yeven   1c.   at  Westm   the   vij.  day  of  Juyn 

the  yere  1c.  xxxj. 

To  oure  right  trusty  and  welbeloved 

ye  Lord  Egremonde. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  Consilii  sui. 

T,  Kent. 


1  Sic. 


1463.]  SI  HENRY  VI.  141 

llbuL  art«  37*  Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremont,  dated  26th  June, 

SI  Hen.VL  1463.] 
By  the  King. 

Divers  tymes  herebefore  we  have  yeve  you  in  cora- 

maundement  by  oure  letters  for  suche  causes  as  moeved 

us  to  have  be  and  appered  before  us  and  oure  counsaille 

at  dales  and  place  conteigned  in  the  same./  to  the  whiche 

oure  letters  and  commaundement  ye  in  no  wyse  obeying 

have  differred  so  to  appere  j  as  ye  yit  doo  j  wherof  we  not 

w*  oute  cause  gretely  mervaille  and  take  it  to  displesir  j 

willing  for  so  muche  and  in  the  straitest  wyse  charging 

you  eftesones  that  in  all  hast  possible  j  seen  thees  oure 

letters  j  ye  come  and  appere  personelly  befor   us  and 

oure  saide  counsaille  to  here  and  understande  that  shalbe 

laide  before  you  at  youre  commyng  ^  and  over  this  that 

in  the  meane  tyme  ye  here  and  kepe  the  pees  ayenst 

alle  oure  subgetts  j  no  thing  doing  or  attemptyng  nor 

swSryng  to  be  doo  or   attempted  by  any  of  youres  in 

any   wyse  to  the  contrarie./    and  yat  ye  faille  not  in 

execution   of  this   oure   commaundement   or    any  part 

therof  upon  the  feith   and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto 

us.     Yeven  \c.   at  Westin  the  xxvj.  day  of  Juyn  the 

yere  \c.  xxxj. 

To  the  Lord  Egremonde. 

[Ibid,  art.   SB.      Letter  from  the   King  to  Sir  John  Neville,  dated 

26th  June,  31  Hen.VL  1453.] 

By  the  King. 
Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  It  is  come  to  oure  know^ 
lache  how  by  occasion  of  certaine  discordes  and  debates 
moeved  betwyx  you  and  the  Lord  Egremond  divers 
things  and  novelries  contrarie  to  oure  pees  have  of  late 
daies  be  committed  betwix  you  into  grete  trouble  and 
vexation  of  oure  countree  and  sugitts  there  j  with  the 
whiche  demeanyng  of  reason  we  may  not  be  well  con- 


142  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

tent  4  wherfore  and  for  other  causes  moevyng  us  we  woU 

and  in  the  straitest  wyse  charge  you  that  in  alle  hast 

possible   after  the   recevyng  of   thees  cure    letters   ye 

comme  and  appere  before    us   and   oure   counsaille  to 

here  and  understand  suche  matiers  as  shalbe  opened  to 

you   at  your  commyng  ^    and    also  that  in  the  meane 

tyme  ye  kepe  oure  pees  •/  nothing  doing  or  attempting 

by  your  self  nor  suflTring  to  be  doo  pr   attempted    by 

any  of  youres  that  may  be  to  the  offense  or  hurt  of  the 

same  oure  pees  j  not  levyng  this  oure  commaundement 

upon   the   feith    and   ligeance    that   ye    owe   unto  us. 

Yeven  1c.  at  Westm   the  xxvj.  day  of  Juyn  the  yere 

1c.  xxxj. 

To   our   trusty  and  welbeloved 

John  Neville  knyght  son  to 
oure  right  trusty  and  welbe- 
loved cousyn  th'Erle  of  Sales - 
bury. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  Consilii. 

\Jbid*  art.  89.    Letter  from  the  King  to  the  I^ord  Grey  of  RugemoDt, 

dated  11th  July,  31  Hen.VI.  1453.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  we  grete  you  wele  j 
And  for  asmoche  as  we  have  certaine  causes  to  be  com- 
muned w*  you  4  the  whiche  conceme  the  weele  of  us 
and  oure  reaume  and  shall  w^  the  grace  of  oure  Lord  be 
to  youre  worship  j  we  by  th'advis  of  oure  counsaill  write 
unto  you  at  this  tyme  v  desii*eing  and  also  charging  you 
that  in  all  goodly  hasten  thees  oure  letters  seen^  ye 
come  to  us  and  oure  saide  counseil  to  oure  palois  of 
Westm  to  hier  and  undrestande  that  that  shalbe  opened 
unto  you  at  youre  said  c5myng  on  oure  behalf^  and 
we  will  in  no  wise  yat  ye   leve  this  as  ye  desire  ye 


145S.]  SI  HENRY  VI.  143 

wdfare  of  us  and  oure  subgetts.     Yeven  1c,  at  Westm 
the  xj.  day  of  Juyll  the  yere  Itc.  xxxj. 

To  the  Lord  Gray  Rychemond. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii^  pr»- 
sentibus  Dominis  Cardinal  Somers  Thes  Priore 
Sancti  Johannis  Thorp  1c. 

T.  Kent 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  159.  Original 
Letter  from  the  King  to dated  20th  July,  SI  Hen.  VL  145S.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

RiGH^T  trusty  and  welbeloved  ^  Howe  it  be  that  by 

oure  other  Ires  of  prive  seel  of  the  date  at  Westm  the 

xiiij.  day  of  this  pnt  moneth  we  willed  and  also  charged 

you  either  to  have  sende  unto  oure  tresore  the  cc.  marc 

like  as  ye  aggreed  by  mocon  of  o'  right  trusty  and  wel- 

beloved  oure  Tresorer  of  Englande  to  lenne  us  for  soco's 

of  oure  cousin  therle  of  Shrouesbury  and  oure  contree  and 

subgittf  there  as  he  is  in  oure  duchie  of  Guyenne  j  or 

elles   to    have   appered  psonelly    before    us    and    oure 

Counsaille  at  ctaine  day  nowe  passed^  as  in   o^  saide 

tres  it  was  conteigned  more  at  large.     Nevthelesse  that 

notw*standyng  ye  neyther  have  sende  the  saide  money 

nor  appered  according  to  o'  said  cdmaundemt  wherof 

we  have  greet  Svaillev   For  somoche  we  write  to  you 

eftesones  straitely  charging  you  that  as  ye  wol  eschewe 

to  be  noted  and  taken  for  a  letter  and  breker  of  tharmee 

whiche  is  appointed  to  be  sende  unto  o'  said  duchie  for 

the  said  soco's  ye  w*  oute  delay  or  tarying  either  sende 

by   the   berer  herof  the   saide  cc.  marc  unto  oure  said 

Tresorer  or  come  in  alle  possible  haste  psonelly  before 


144  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

oure  said  Counsaille  to  have  knowlache  of  suche  matiers 

as  shalt  be  declared  unto  you  j  and herin 

upon  the  paine  abovesaide.     Yeven  TiC.  at  Westm  the 
XX**.  day  of  Juylt  the  yere  'Ic.  xxxj. 

To  o 

the 

« 

De  man*'**  Regf  per  avisa*^*  sui  Consilii  •/" 
pn!  Dnis  Carl' Cancett  Epo  Wintoa 
Duce  SoiSs  Comite  Sa^  Thes  Angl  |  ^angport 
Barone  Duddeley  Thoma  Thorp  1c.  J 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Nero,  B.  vii.  f.  1.  Original. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Francis  duke  of  Venice,  dated  2l8t  July, 

31  Hen  VL  1463.] 

Henricus  T:c.    dilecto  nob    Francisco    Fuscari    duci 
Venetorii  illustri   ac   dnis   de   suo  Consilio  amicis   nris 
carissimis  salutem  cu  omni  dilectione.  Ilhistris  \  magnifici 
viri  J  animi  anxietate  quadam  percepimus  humani  generis 
inimicu  omniu  malo^  seminatorem  et  patrem  suis  inven- 
cione  et  fraude  inr  reJigiosissimu  viru  magrm  supiorem 
ordinis  Sci  Johis  Jertm  apud  Rodn  et  iliustre  dniu  vrm 
discordia^    fundamenta  It   odii  jactasse  ac   displicencia 
quand^m  posuisse  j  que  res  q^m  sit  amara  et  toti  Xpiani- 
tati  ingrata  eo  niaxime  ostendit'  quo  versilif  majora  sit 
productura  pi  clay  nam  si  infima^  et  quandoq^  viliu  psonaA 
rancores  inicia  durissimis  reb3  prebeant  et  pessima  con- 
comitant' exempla  quales  ex  egregio^  viro^  turbacione 
exitus  secuturos  fore  judicabimus  ac  cu  religio  ipa  de- 
vota  sit  Xpiano^  defensio  ac  ppugnat'x  ^z  supna  ut  nobis 
visum  est  disposicoe  ordinata  \  pio^  p^ncipu  devocione 


145S.I  SI  HENRY  VI.  I45 

stabilita  j  ipiquaq^  potentes  sitf  strenui  et  illo  siti  climate 
quib3  pfatu  scm  ordinem  plurimu  refocillare  poteritf  et 
eciam  divsis  agitare  nocumentf  si  libeatf  4  Dolemus  merito 
minima  diam  apud  vos  subortam  videre  4  ex  qua  univsale 
dampnii  geSari  facilime  valet  j  Auget  nri  animi  motus 
qd  religiosi  ordinis  memorati  nos  et  pgenitores  nros  inu 
p^marios  Isuos  fundatores  c5numaiit  ex  quo  fit  ut  omi 
conamine  niti  oportet  eoj^  quieti  pvider  et  agere  p  nra 
viiili  ne  quoquo  modo  ledant'^  Q*mobrem  illustris  et 
magnifici  viri  vras  gravitates  et  amicicias  ex  intimis 
hortatas  facira^  et  rogam^y  refellat'  diabolica  fraus  et 
malicia  qui  exit  seminare  semen  suu  in  orto  vroy  ex- 

tinguant'   ejus  incendia  quib3   dulcissimos 

aniicicie%  nexus  qui  diu  viguisse  inr  vos  et  jpfatu  Xpi 
ordinem  dinoscunt'  consuiSe  anelat  et  devorare  4  deleant' 
ex  animis  vris  rancores  %  •  •  •  offenditf  sine  dubio  j  et 
si  forsan  displicencie  data  ex  aliquo  sit  occao  abscidat' 

prudencia  vra  qua  maxie  preditos  vos  ee 

ad  .  .  •  moveant  in  Dno  requirim^  Salvatoris  nri  exempla 
qui  venit  dare  pacem  hoib3  qui  p  pace  iirapassus  est 

qui  acceptans q*m  offerre  v*timas  j  ista 

dilectionib3  vris  intimamus'y  ista  suadem^v  p  hiis  apud  vos 

preces  agim^  et  sine  dubio  gaudebim^ 

Ceteru  ni   pnciaj^  ha^  lator  Jolies 

Langstrother  pfati  ordinis  miles  valde  ob  sua  Sita  et 

g^tissima  servicia  nobis  accep ;  patrias 

et  districtus  anteq^  Rodu  attingat  quo  tendit  4  ppterea 

ex  novo  rogam^  q^tinus  ipm  rec5missu  Hri 

...  .  .  t*ctare  velitf  uti  vros  nris  regnis  It  dominiis 
t*ctari  cupitf  et  in  illis  complacere  eidm   que  a  vris 

niagnificenciis iiram  instancia 

efficere  qd  navigio  vro  ofle  suo  pduci  valeat  usq^  Rodu 

illo  non  obstante  decreto  et  mandato  qd 

littora  ibm  4  In  hiis  omib3  non  paru  amicicie 


VOL.  VI.  L 


146  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [146S. 

vre  nobis  complacebut  quas  Altissim^  votive  cu  pspitate 

confvet.     Scrip Westmonasrii 

[sub  nro  private  sigillo]  xxj.  die  Julii  anno  1c,  xxxj°*®. 

De  mandate  Regf  p  avisa***  sui  Consilii. 


[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  40.  a  modem  Tratucripi, 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Fauconberg,  dated  25th  July,  SI  Hen.VI. 

1453.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cousin  j  We  greet  you 
wel  J  lating  you  wite  that  it  hath  be  reported  unto  us 
and  oure  Counsaile  howe  that  as  touching  the  m^  raarc 
which  in  partie  of  paiement  of  m^  li.  yerely  assigned 
unto  you  for  ye  kepyng  of  oure  castell  of  Rokesbourgh 
ye   shoide  yerely  take    of  the    custumes    and  profitts 
corny ng  in  and  upon  oure  port  of  Newcastell  j  it  was 
nowe  late  accorded  and  aggreed  betwix  our  right  trusty 
and   welbeloved  cousin  th'Erle   of  Salesbury  and  you  ^ 
than  being  present   oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  Johau 
Wode  clerc  unto  oure  Tresourer  of  England  v  that  ye 
shoide  receyve  and  take   yerly  in  oure  said  port  two 
parties   of  the   saide   custumes   and    proffits  and  oure 
saide  cousin  of  Salesbury  for  suche  dutee  as  belongeth 
unto  him  j  the  thridde  part  w  unto  the  tyme  ye  were  con- 
tented of  the  saide  m^  marcy  to  the   whiche  accorde 
oure  saide  Tresorer  of  Englande  hath  aggreed  him  j  And 
howe  it  be  that   hereupon  oure  letters  patents  in  due 
fourme   be   made  and  ensealed./  yit  neverthelesse   the 
moost  reverent  fadre  in  God  Johan  cardinal  and  arche- 
bysshop   of  Canterbury   oure  Chanceller   of  Englande 


t 


1458.3  31  HENRY  VI.  I47 

diflferreth  to  make  deliverance  of  thaim  unto  the  tyme 

that  he  be  certified  from  youre  self  of  the  saide  aggre- 

ment  j  Wherefore  we  write  unto  you  at  this  tyme  exhor- 

tyng    that   with    alle  diligence  and  spede   possible   ye 

by  writyng  late  oure  said  Chanceller  have  knowlache 

of  youre  entente   in  this  behalf^  considering  that  the 

souner  the  saide  letters  be  putte  to  execution  the  rather 

th'effect  of  the  conclusion  desired  thereby  shall  ensewe. 

Yeven  tc.  at  Westm  the  xxv.  day  of  Juyll  the  yere  \c. 

xxxj. 

To  the  Lord  Faucomberge. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport 

[Bnd>  art  4L    Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  dated 

27th  July,  SI  Hen.VL  145S.] 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cousjmj  For  as  moch 
as  Dire  be  acertaigned  by  credible  information  that  of 
late  dayes  grete  assembles  and  riottous  gaderings  of 
people  have  be  made  in  the  shire  that  ye  dwelle  in  j  as 
wel  by  your  sone  S'  John  Nevill  knyght  as  othre  per- 
sones  J  unto  right  grete  vexation  and  trouble  of  oure 
contre  and  subgitts  there  ^  directly  ayenst  oure  lawes 
and  pees  j  by  ye  which  to  grete  an  inconvenience  were 
like  to  ensew  if  it  were  not  hastily  purveied  for^  We 
therfor  write  unto  you  at  this  tyme  exhorting  and  in 
ye  straitest  wise  also  charging  you  that  ye  by  all  the 
wayes  and  meanes  possible  unto  you  doo  your  eifectuell 
labour  and  diligence  that  the  said  assembles  and  ga- 
derings of  people  be  put  downe  and  utterly  ceesed 
and  that  ye  see  our  pees  be  kept  by  you  and  yours  j  not 
suffring  any  thing  to  be  doo  or  attempted  to  the  con- 

L  2 


148  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453- 

trary  by  any  personne  as  ferforth  as  ye  shall  mowe  j  and 
over  this  that  our  trusty  and  welbeloved  counsailler 
William  Lucy  knyght  and  other  our  commissionours 
which  we  sende  thider  at  this  tyme  for  the  saide  cause 
be  obeid  in  all  things  as  it  accordeth  for  our  honnour 
and  worship  and  the  conservation  of  oure  lawes^  not 
levyng  this  upon  the  feith  and  ligeaunce  that  ye  owe 
unto  us.      Yeven  Ic.  at  Westm  the  xxvij.  day  of  Juyli. 

To  th'Erle  of  Salesbury. 
Item  semble  to  th'Erle  of  Northum  for  his 
son  the  Lord  Egremond. 

\JDnd.  art.  45.  Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremont  and  to  Sir 
John  Nevill,  son  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury.  The  date  of  this  letter 
does  not  appear ;  but  judging  f  om  the  preceding  and  following  one» 
it  is  presumed  to  have  been  written  on  or  about  the  27th  July, 
81  Hen.  VI.  1453.] 

By  the  King, 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  as  moche  as  we  be 
credibly   enfourmed  yat   divers   riottous  assembles  and 
gaderings  of  people  have  of  late  dayes  be  made  in  the 
con  tree  yat  ye  dwelle  in  j  and  so  yit  continue  v  to  the 
which  ye  have  take  upon  you  to  be  leder  and  so  yit 
be  J  contrary  unto  our  lawes  and  to  greet  trouble  of  oure 
pees  and  subgetts  yere  ./We  wol  and  in  the  straitest  wyse 
charge  you  yat  incontinent  •/  seen  yees  oure  letters  j  ye 
putting  downe  and  departing  all  suche  assemblees  and 
gaderings  j  kepe  oure  pees  and  be  obeying  unto   onre 
commissioners  yat  we  sende  yider  at  yis  tyme  for  this 
cause  •/  of  the  which  we  have   deputed  and  ordeigned 
oure  trusty  and   welbeloved    counsailler  William  Lucy 
knight  to  be  oon  ^  and  we  wol  yat  ye  faile  not  herein 
upon  peyne  of  forfaiteur  of  all  your  goodes  and  iandes 


1453.]  31  HENRY  VI.  149 

and  upon  ye  feith   and  ligeance  yat  ye   owe  unto  us. 
Yeven  tc.  at  Westm  ye 

To  ye  Lord  Egremond. 

Item  to  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  John  Ne- 
vill  knyght  sonne  to  oure  right  trusty  and 
welbeloved  cousyn  the  Erie  of  Salesbury. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Langport. 

[3id,  art.  43.  Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  John  Conyers^  Sir  James- 
Pickering,  and  others^  dated  27th  July,  and  apparently  in  the- 
3l8t  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

By  the  King. 

It  is    comen   to   oure   knowlach  how   divers  riottes^ 
routes  and  gaderings  of  people  contrary  to  oure  lawes 
and  pees  of  late  dayes  have  be  made  and  yit  contynue 
in  the  shire  and  contree  that  ye  dwelle  in  j  unto  grete 
trouble  and  vexation  of  oure  subgitts  there  j  by  occasion 
whereof  irreparable  inconvenience  were  like  to  folowe 
that  God  forbide  olesse  than  hasty  provision  were  made 
in  this  behalfe  j  of  the  which  routes  and  gaderings  ye- 
have  be  a  grete  sturer  and  moever  and  also  leder  j  wherof 
we  gretely  marvaille  and  take  it  as  we  nedes  must  to  right 
grete  displesire  j  For  so  muche  we  wol  and  in  the  moste 
straiteest  wyse  charge  yowe  that  ye  surceesing  of  alle 
such    gaderings   and  riots    makeing  and  thoo    that  so- 
been  made  deviding  and  utterly  ceesing  kepe  j  oure  pees  ^ 
noo  thing  attempting  or  doing  or  suffring  to  be  doo  or 
attempted  by  any  of  youres  or  other  any  thing  contrarie 
to  cure  pees  j  and  more  over  that  ye  duely  be  obeying* 
unto    oure   trusty  and    welbeloved  counsailler   William 
Lucy  knyght  and  other  oure  commissioners  whiche  we- 
sende   at  this  tyme  thidre    for  the   said   cause   in  air 
things  concernyng  th'execution  of  oure  lawes  and  coar- 

L  3 


ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

'  oure  pees  v  not  levyng  soo  to  doo  upon  pein 
r  of  alle  youre  laudes  and  goodes  and  upon 
nd  ligeaance  that  ye  owe  unto  us.  Yeven 
>rive  seell  at  Westm  the  xxvJj.  day  of  Juyll. 
To  John  Conyers 


James  Pekering 
Rauife  Randolf 
Thomas  Mouneforth 
Ric  of  Aske 
Rauf  Neville 
Thomas  Sewer 
John  Adorn 


knyghts 


■squiers. 


Another  letter  from  the  King  on  tlie  same  subject, 
dated  27th  July,  31  Hen. VI.  1*55.] 
e  King. 

and  welbeloved  4  For  asmoche  as  we  have 
B  by  credible  reporte  made  unto  us  howe 
lawefuH  assembles  and  gaderiugs  of  people 
livers  parties  in  ye  contree  yat  ye  dwelle 
ne  oure  contree  and  subgitts  yerof  have  be  and 
y  troubled  vexed  and  uoeased  j  we  sende  yider 
ne  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  counsailler 
ucy  knyght  with  oure  letters  of  commission 
to  enquere  of  suche  matters  and  to  doo  yat 
;  to  ye  reformation  of  yat  is  doon  oyerwyse 
awe  wold  and  so  to  conservation  and  keping 
eesw  For  so  muche  we  write  unto  you  ex- 
aying  and  neverthelesse  charging  you  upon 
id  trouth  yat  ye  owe  unto  us  yat  at  such 
s  shall  be  requyred  by  oure  said  counsailler  ^ 
and  assiste  him  by  alle  menes  to  you  possible 
yat  may  concerne  th'execution  of  oure  lawes 
downe  and   ceesing  of  such   assembles    and 


1453.]  31  HENRY  VL  151 

gaderings  ye  keping  of  oure  pees  and  good  rule  and 
traoquyllitee  of  oure  saide  contree  and  subgitts  j  and  yat 
ye  faille  not  herein  in  any  wyse.  Yeven  1c.  at  Westm 
the  xxvij.  day  of  Juyll  ye  yere  Ttc.  xxxj. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  159.  OriginaL 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayors  and  custumers  of  Dartmouth,  Ply- 
mouth, Fowey,  and  other  ports,  dated  6th  August,  31  Hen. VI.  14^3.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  as  moch  as  we  for  the 
relief  socours  and  defense  of  oure  duchie  of  Guyenne 
and  }>e  confort  and  help  of  oure  riglit  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved cousin  Therle  of  Shrouesbury  and  other  oure 
subgittf  }>ere  have  ordeigned  a  greet  and  notable  armee 
to  be  sende  thidre  in  alle  haste  ^  we  write  unto  you  at 
this  tyme  desiring  \  praying  you  hertely  }>at  by  alle  fe 
weyes  1  menes  possible  unto  you  j  ye  on  oure  behalve 
sture  moeve  trete  \  enduce  all  J>e  oweners  \  maisters^ 
of  J>e  shippes  1  vesselles  }>at  belonge  unto  oure  porte 
of  Dertemouth  to  be  redy  witli  J?air  saide  vesselles  \ 
shippes  to  accompaignee  oure  saide  armee  towardes 
oure  saide  duchie  by  Y  ^^^te  of  Saint  Bartholomew 
next  comyng^  at  ye  ferrest  4  and  }>at  ye  faille  not 
herein  as  ye  love  It  tendre  }>e  worship  \  welefare  of  us 
1  of  all  }>is  oure  lande  and  J>e  seuretee  of  oure  saide 
cousin  It  duchie.  Yeven  \c.  }>e  \g.  day  of  August  }>e 
yere  "tc.  xxxj. 

To  pe  Mayer  1  custumers  of  Dertmoutli. 
To  J^e  Mayer  It  custumers  of  Plymmouth. 
To  J?e  Mayer  It  custumers  of  Fowey. 

I  August  24th. 
L  4 


ACTS  OF  raiVY  COUNCIL,  Cl«8-    - 

:.v  Forasmuch  1c.  ut  supra  usque  ibi  en- 
sic  i  and  also  charge  J>e  oweners  X  maisters 
ppes  as  be  bountle  to  Bourdeaux  warde 
-R  of  oure  haven  |)ere  fat  )>ay  diawe  J?aim 
e  porta  of  Sandewiche  or  Hampton  so  J>at 
by  ]7e  feste  of  Saint  Bartholomew  next 
[%  ferrest  to  accompaigne  oure  saide  armie 
\  saide  duchie  j  and  Jrat  ye  faille  not  1c.  ut 

'o  J»e  Maier  1  custumers  of  oure  towne  1  port 
of  Lynne. 

H  semble  to  J>e  Baillyef  1  custumers  of  cure 
porte  of  Orwen. 

Regis  p  avisa'""  sui  Consilii  j  pntibj  Dnis 
Decano  Sci  Severini  Thorp  1c. 

Lahgport. 


X.  Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayor  of  Loudon, 
August,  31  Hen.VL  H53.  Vidt  Rot.  I^rl.  vol.  r. 
] 

sKyng. 

nd  welbelovedv  We  late  you  wite  that  not 
for  late  setting  fortb  of  an  armee  disposed 
>  o'  duchie  of  Guyenne  j  we  ceitaine  alome 
larchauntf  of  Jene  to  the  some  of  viij™".  X\. 
id  it  solde  to  divers  marchauntf  1  citezeos 
aftes  w*in  o'  citee  of  London  *  yeving  thayme 

utter  the  same  alome  with  increce  of  ij.  s. 
i.  as  in  an  act  therupon  made  plainly  ap- 
id   it  is  soo  that  the  said  marchauntf    and 

contented  of  the  some  that  tliay  bought  it 


M$.^  31  HENRY  VI.  153 

fore  and  thincrece  of  the  saide  ij.  S.  of  the  pounde 
restetK  stylle  in  thaire  handes  undevided  j  We  not 
doubting  but  that  yo'^  greet  discrecon  and  wisdom  con- 
sidereth  wele  what  charges  and  costes  daily  in  many 
behalves  resten  upon  us  and  in  espiaS  for  the  defense 
and  saufgarde  of  oure  saide  duchie  the  relief  and  socours 
also  of  o^  rig^t  trusty  and  welbeloved  cousin  the  Erie 
of  Shrouesburye  and  otlir  o'  subgittes  such  as  he  is  ac- 
compaignied  of  ther  and  saufgarde  of  the  see  j  we  wol 
praie  and  neverthelesse  straitly  charge  you  that  alt  the 
saide  mchauntf  and  citezens  that  bought  the  said  alome  ye 
do  caB  afore  you  moevyng  entretyng  and  also  charging 
thayme  in  such  wise  that  they  and  everich  of  thayme  do 
ease  us  at  this  tyme  of  alt  thencrece  of  the  saide  alome  j 
that  is  to  say  of  every  pounde  ij.  s.  by  way  of  lone  j  for 
the  which  thay  shalt  have  sufficiant  assignement  upon  the 
xv"^.  paiable  unto  us  at  Mydsomere  next  comyng  j  the 
which  we  doubt  not  thai  wol  soo  doo  considering  o' 
said  charges  and  costes  and  that  it  is  clerely  wynny  .  • 

thayme  ^  and  in  case  that  any  of  the  saide 

mchauntf  and  citezens  wol  in  no  wise  be  entreted  by 
you  to  ease  us  at  this  tyme  of  the  said  encrece^  we 
wol  than  that  ye  w^oute  delaye  certifie  unto  us  and  oure 
counsailt  of  thaire  names  and  of  the  quantite  of  the 
alome  bought  by  thayme  j  charging  you  moreover  that 
by  the  othes  of  xij.  trewe  men  of  o'  saide  citee  ye 
do  enquere  and  thereupon  certifie  also  unto  us  and  o' 
saide  Counsailt  what  alome  hath  be  sold  by  hem  or  by 
any  other  mchauntf  or  citezens  of  o'  said  citee  to 
gretter  encrece  than  thay  were  lycenced  to  or  elt  sold 
any  othr  alome  than  was  bought  of  lis  during  the 
tyme  oonte3nied  in  the  said  acte  j  And  we  wil  that  ye 
leve  not  this  as  ye  lust  to  do  us  singuler  pleasir  and 
as  ye  love  the  suertee  and  saufgard  of  o"^  said  duchie 


154  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1463. 

and  subgittf.      Yeveii  1c.  at  Westm  the   vij.  day  of 
August  the  yer  1c.  xxxj. 

To  o'  trusty  and  welbeloved  the 
Mair  of  o'  citee  of  London. 

De  mandato  Regis  p  avisa*^'  sui  Consilii  •/  pnl  DJlis 

Thes  Custode    privati   sigilli    Priore    Sci   Johis 

Jhrlra  It  Thorp. 

Foston'. 


[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  42.    a  modem  Transcript. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  Ralph  Percy,  Richard  Percy,  Sir  John 
Penyngton,  and  others,  dated  lOth  August,  31  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

By  the  King. 

It  is  comen  to  oure  knowlache  howe   divers  riottes 
routes  and  gaderings  of  people  contrarie  to  oure  lawes 
and  pees  of  late  dayes  have  be  made  and  yit  continue 
in  the  shire  and  contree  that  ye  dwelle  in  j  unto  greet 
trouble  and  vexation  of  oure  subgetts  yerej  by  occasion 
whereof  to  irreparable  inconvenience  were  like  to  folowe 
that  God   forbide  olesse   thanne   hasty  provision  were 
made  in  this  behalf^  of  the  whiche  riottes  and  gaderings 
ye  have  be  a  greet  sturrer  and  moever  and  also  leder 
as  we  be  right  credibly  enformed  j  wherefore  we  greatly 
mervaille  and  take  it  as  we  nedes  must  to  right  greet 
displesir  j  For  so  moche  we  woll  and  in  the  moost  straitest 
wise  charge  you  that  ye  surcessing  of  all  such  gaderings 
and  routes  making  and  thoo  that  so  ben  made  dividing 
and  utterly  ceesing  kepe  oure  pees  j  noo  thing  attempting 
or  doing  or  suffring  to  be  do  or  attempted  by  any  of 
yours  or  other  asmoche  as  in  you  is  any  thing  contrarie 
to  oure  pees  ^  and  moreover  that  ye  duely  be  obeying 
to  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  counsailler  William  Lucy 


145S.]  SI  HENRY  VI.  155 

knyght  and  other  oure  commissioners  whiche  we  sende 
at  yis  tyme  yider  for  the  saide  cause  in  alle  yinge  con- 
cemyng  the  execution  of  oure  iawes  and  conservation 
of  oure  pees  j  not  levyng  so  to  doo  upon  paine  and  for- 
faiteur  of  all  youre  landes  and  goodes  and  upon  the 
feith  and  ligeaunce  yat  ye  owe  unto  us,  Yeven  Ike.  at 
Westm  the  x.  day  of  August  the  yere  \c.  xxxj. 

S^  Rauf  Percy         l  S*^  Henri  Fenwyk 

Ric  Percy  I  S""  William  Martindale 

S'  John  Penyngton  J  John  Swynboume  squier. 

Rolande  Kyrkeby  1 
Henri  Belingham  Lquiers. 
William  Lee         J 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii. 

Foston. 

[i5u/.  art.  46.    Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Mayors  and  Sheriffs  of 
Bristol  and  Hull,  dated  11th  August,  31  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

By  the  King, 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  It  is  so  y*  oure  armee  nowe 
by  us  ordeigned  to  goo  into  oure  duchie  of  Guyenne  for 
the  sure  and  saufegarde  yerof  of  oure  right  trusty  and 
welbeloved  cousin  th'Erle  of  Shrouesbury  and  of  oure 
subgitts  that  he  is  accompaigned  of  ther  shal  be  redie  to 
take  the  see  towardes  oure  saide  duchee  w*in  shorte  tyme  j 
and  it  is  so  as  we  are  enfourmed  y*  oure  adversaries 
by  all  the  waies  and  meanes  to  hem  possible  laboren 
daily  to  assemble  a  greet  navie  upon  the  see  to  entre  the 
rivour  of  Gyrond  to  th'entent  that  thay  shold  mowe  lette 
the  passages  of  oure  saide  armee  and  as  muche  as  in 
thaym  is  to  the  destruction  of  the  same  ^  that  God  de- 
fende  j  We  wol  therfor  and  straytely  charge  you  that  in 
oure  towne  of  Bristowe  ye  do  make  open  proclamation 


ACTS  OF  PRIVV  COUNCIL  [IWS. 

I  and  commaunding  on  oure  bebalfe  the  msustres 
!  and  all  other  persones  disposed  nowe  this  yere 
jDto  oure  saide  duchie  to  be  redy  afore  oure  port 
louth  w'  there  vesselx  and  shippes  the  xxvij.  daye 
)re8ent  moneth  of  August  j  there  to  entende  and 
upon  oure  saide  artnee  j  ye  whiche  so  assembled 
shal  by  the  grace  of  oure  Lorde  w'oute  difficultee 
tre  into  the  said  river  ^  not  failling  so  to  doo  as 
ire  thair  owen  and  oure  saide  armee  sure  passage 
!tee  and  saufgard  also  of  oure  saide  duchie  and 
.  Yeven  ondre  oure  prive  seel  at  Westra  the 
of  August  the  yere  Ic.  xxxj. 

To  oure  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Maire 

shiriefs  and  baillifs  of  oure  towne  of  Bris- 

towe. 
Item  semble  tres  to  the  Maire  and  baillifs  of 

oure  towne  of  Hull, 
landato  Regis  per  avisamentum  sui  Consilii  ^  prs- 
lentibus  Dominis  Thes  Custod  privati  sigilli  Thorp 
it  Decano  Sancti  SeveriK. 

FostoD. 


[Bibl.' Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.v.  f.  16a  OriffinaL 

m  tbe  King  to  the  Mayor  of  Southampton  and  othen,  dated 
4th  August,  31  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

y  the  King. 

TY  and  welbeloved  V  We  late  you  wite  that  we 
listing  in  youre  greet  wisdomes  sadnesse  and 
»ns  J  have  ordeigned  and  deputed  you  and  everich 
and  by  thees  oure  tres  yeve  you  and  evericli 
futt  power  and  auctoritee  to  weye  utter  and  so 
oure  moost  availle  and  encresse  afl'  suche  peces 


I45S.]  SI  HENRY  VI.  157 

of  tynne  as  nowe  late  were  by  oure  commaundement 
arrested  within  oure  towne  of  Southampton  for  the 
hasty  settyng  forthe  of  oure  armee  nowe  ordeyned  to  be 
sent  into  oure  duchie  of  Guyenne  for  the.  saufgarde 
therof  and  the  seuretee  of  our  right  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved  cousin  therle  of  Shrouesbury  and  of  other  o' 
subgettf  that  he  is  accompany ed  of  and  also  of  the  see  ^ 
Wherfore  we  wott  and  charge  you  and  evericfi  of  you 
that  aboute  the  premisses  ye  diligently  entende  and  doo 
to  be  executed  for  the  cause  aforesaide  j  and  in  cas  that 
ye  can  in  noo  wyse  fynde  the  meanes  of  utteraunce  of 
the  saide  tynne  to  be  made  within  oure  saide  towne  we 
wott  thanne  and  straitely  charge  you  j  that  of  as  moche 
as  ye  do  make  sale  of  ye  do  sende  the  moneye  unto 
oure  tresorie  in  aS  haste  possible  and  the  remenaunt 
unsolde  ye  do  purveye  and  ordeyne  that  it  be  sent  and 
caried  unto  oure  citee  of  London^  morover  charging 
you  and  evich  of  you  that  aS  suche  psones  as  clayme 
any  propertee  in  any  parte  of  the  saide  tynne  that  ye 
remitte  theim  to  the  lordf  of  oure  CounsaiB  at  Westm 
where  and  by  whome  it  shatt  be  purveied  for  theire  con- 
tenting and  paiemeut  and  in  suche  wyse  as  shaB  be 
goode  and  sufSceant  unto  theim  y  and  that  ye  ne  noon  of 
you  faille  herof  as  ye  luste  to  do  us  singuler  plesir  and 
as  ye  love  the  seuretee  and  sauf  garde  of  oure  saide 
contree  and  subgittf .  Yeveii  T;c.  at  Westm  the  xiiij.  day 
of  August  the  yer  of  o'  regne  xxxj. 

To  our  trusty  and  welbeloved  Andrewe  James 

maire  of  o'  towne  of  Southampton  John 

Ewerby  Thomas  Osberfi  Symkyn  Edward 

Laurence  Moyen  and  to  evich  of  theim. 

De  man*"  Regis  p  avisamentu  sui  Consilii  j  pntib5  Diiis 

Thes  J  Thorp  j  Decano  Sci  Severini. 

Foston'. 


acts  of  privy  council,  [145s. 

Acta  de  Anno  Tricesimo  secundo. 

Bib).  Cotton.  VeBpaaiai!)  Cxiv.  f.  530.  eontemporaiy  MS. 

from  the  King  to  the  Earl  of  Westmoreland  and  the  Bishop  of 
lam,  dated  Sth  October,  and  apparently  in  the  3&d  Hen.VI. 
■] 

By  the  King. 

ih't  trusty  and  welbeloved  cosine  We  have  under- 
3  bj  credible  reporte  made  unto  us  the  greet  labours 
t  and  diligences  that  ye  have  nowe  of  late  tyme 
and  doo  daily  for  the  letting  and  appesing  of  sucb 
[es  and  unlawful  gaderingf  of  people  as  not  long 
ave  be  and  yit  as  it  is  saide  contynue  in  the  contree 
e  dwelle  and  ther  a  boute .;  and  that  ye  in  no  wise 
fi  ye  be  nygb  of  blode  and  allie  to  the  pties  making 
assembles  have  favoured  or  lened  in  such  unfittyg 
lyng  to  that  con  ptie  or  to  that  other  4  butt  have  be 
ind  ben  to  heipe  strength  and  assiste  such  lordes 

and  tempel  thef  as  ben  fully  disposed  and  sette 
srently  to  the  coservacon  of  our  pees  easing  and 
ng  of  the  saide  gaderingC  and  good  and  restful 
nance  of  our  saide  cootree  and  subgittf  j  of  which 
good  disposicon  and  sadde  demenyng  we  be  right 
sntent  and  thanke  you  spially  *  willyng  exhorting 
Iso  prayng  you  hertely  so  to  contynue  v  whenn  ye 
do  thing  ful  acceptable  unto  God  to  our  saide 
iz  and  subgittes  beboveful  and  piitable  and  right 
It  to  us  and  thankeful  and  cause  us  to  be  tlie  more 
us  to  do  thing  that  may  be  to  yo'  pleasir  and  be- 
Yeven  under  our  prive  seel  at  Westm  the  viij.  day 
tobr. 

To  therle  of  Westmert. 

Ilm  semble  to  the  revent  fader  in  God  our 
right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cosin  the 
Bisshbp  of  Duresme. 


14».]  58  HBNRY  VI.  I59 

[Ibid.  f.521. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Archbishop  of  York,  dated  8th  October, 
and  apparently  in  the  32nd  Hen.VL  1453.] 

By  the  King. 

MoosT  reverent  fader  in  God  our  right  trusty  and  wel- 
beloved  j  We  have  understande  by  credible  reporte  made 
unto  us  that  ye  according  to  the  degree  and  astate  that 
ye  stande  in  have  goodly  and  godly  doo  your  parte  and 
daily  do  to  thappesing  and  ceesing  of  suche  troubles  and 
unlawful  gaderingf  of  people  as  not  long  agoo  have  be 
and  yit  as  it  is  saide  continue  in  the  contrees  that  ye 
dwelle  in  j  deserving  thenn  as  we  can  you  riglit  grete  and 
spial  thankej  willyng  exhortyng  and  also  prayug  you 
hertely  that  ye  wol  so  contynue  and  that  ye  wol  not 
departe  frome  that  contree  unto  the  tyme  the  saide 
trouble  and  unlawful  assemblees  be  fully  appesed  and 
extint  as  our  pfite  trust  is  on  you  j  understandyng  for 
certaine  that  herin  ye  shal  do  thyng  ful  acceptable  to 
God  to  our  saide  contree  and  subgittes  behoveful  and 
pfitable  and  rigKit  plesant  to  us  and  thankeful  and  cause 
us  to  be  the  more  desirous  to  do  thing  that  may  be  to 
your  pleasir  and  behove.  Yeven  under  our  prive  seel  at 
Westm  the  viij.  day  of  Octobr. 

To  tharchebisshop  of  Yorke. 

[IbiiL   Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Earls  of  Salisbury  and  Northumber- 
land, dated  8th  October,  and  apparently  in  the  32nd  Hen. VI.  1453.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

Cousin  j  Howe  it  be  that  at  al  tymes  before  this  ye 
have  be  holde  a  sadde  a  sober  and  a  wel  reuled  man  as 
it  sittett  you  in  al  wyse  so  to  be  j  and  somoche  the  more 
for  the  degree  and  astate  that  ye  stande  inne  j  the  which 


160  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1458. 

is  ordeined  you  not  to  abuse  it  but  to  use  to  the  worship 
of  God  and  to  the  fvice  and  supportacon  of  us  in  keping 
of  our  pees  and  of  o^  lawes  j  to  the  which  ye  owe  to  do 
so  moche  the  gretr  diligence  that  ye  be   ooii  of  the 
comissioners  of  the  pees  in  the  contrees  that  ye  dwelle 
inne  j  and  also  stande  charged  oon  of  the  lordes  of  cure 
Counsail  j  in  receivyng  of  the  which  charge  ye  were 
sworne  that  yf  ye  sholde  from  that  tyme  forth  hiere  of 
any  debate  betwix  lord  and  lord  by  stiring  of  the  which 
the  good  reste  and  pees  of  this  oure  lande  might  in  any 
wyse  be  letted  or  troubled  whom  soever  of  thsdme  it 
touched  J  ye  yf  it  touched  you  sholde  be  reuled  by  the 
lordes  of  oure  said  Counsail  j  and  in  no  wyse  take  upon 
you  the  reule  therof  at  yo'  owne  hande v  the  which  not- 
withstanding and  also  that  in  oure  Parlement  which  is 
yit  contynued  *  ye  and  aH  othr  lordes  wer  warned  that 
yf  any  of  you  felt  him  grieved  ayenste  other  shold  putte 
in  his  grief  in  writing  j  and  besides  this  notwithstanding 
the  straite  charge  and  cdmaundement  yeven  unto  you 
nowe  late  by  oure  Ires  of  prive  seal  by  the  which  ye 
sholde  have  putte  you  in  yo'  devoir  by  al  meenes  pos- 
sible to  the  ceessing  and  putting  downe  of  thassembiees 
and  gaderingf  remembred  in   the  same   oure  Iresj  ye 
w*oute  any  request  or  complaint  made  to  us  of  any  grief 
do  unto  you  have  sith  that  tyme  as  it  is  saide  take  upon 
you  or  be  disposed  to  take  upori  you  contrarye  to  oure 
saide  comaundement  and  also  to  oure  pees  and  lawes  j  to 
make  the  grettest  assemblee  of  our  liegemen  and  therto 
have   appointed  tyme  and   place  that  ever  was   made 
w*in  this  oure  lande  at  any  tyme  that  man  can  ihinke  j 
the  whiche  yf  it  so  be  do  or  heraf?  happe  to  be  doo  by 
you  youre  ordenaunce  or  appointement  yf  any  of  oure 


1  No  notice  of  this  fact  occurs  on  the  rolls  of  that  Parliament. 


145S.]  32  HENRY  VI.  I6l 

liegemen  be  perisshed  by  the  meane  therof  we  wol  that 
ye  holde  for  undoubted  that  aswel  ye  as  thoo  that  have 
be  counsailling  and  helping  you  therin  shal  so  be  so 
chastised  that  bothe  ye  and  thay  and  al  othr  oure  sub- 
gittf  shal  have  matier  and  cause  to  eschewe  to  attempte 
any  thing  like  heraft  j  And  as  toward  you  yf  ye  so  have 
attempted  ayenste  oure  estate  and  yours  4  def  vyng  therby 
to  be  straunged  from  thoccupacion  of  the  said  astate  that 
ye  stand  we  shal  in  no  wyse  spare  you  in  this  cas  4  but 
rather  more  grevousty  punyssh  you  than  we  wolde  do 
the  leste  persone  of  oure  lande  j  the  which  neverthelesse 
as  cure  Lord  knoweth  we  wold  be  right  lothe  to  doo. 
Yeven  Ic.  at  Westm  the  viij.  day  of  Octobr. 

To  oure  cousin  therle  of  Saj^  1c. 
Km  semble  to  o'  cousin  therle  of  Northumbr. 

De  man*°  Regis  p  avisa*''*  sui  Consilii  4  pnl  Dflis  Car^* 

Epo  Herford  Dug  Buck  Ic. 

Lanoport. 

{JOnd.  f.  52a 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremont  and  Sir  John  Neville*  son  of 
the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  dated  8th  October,  S2  Hen. VI.  145S.] 

HoMTE  it  be  that  not  long  agoo  we  putte  you  to  the 
worship  and  astate  of  fiaron'./  not  foe  any  greet  service 
that  ye  hadde  do  to  us  before  that  tyme./  but  for  the 
trust  and  trowing  that  we  hadde  of  the  good  service 
that  ye  sholde  do  us  in  tyme  c5myng./  in  espiatt  in 
keping  of  the  rest  and  pees  of  oure  lande  and  in 
letting  of  alle  that  sholde  mowe  be  to  the  contrarye  4 


1  Thomas  Percy,  a  younger  son  of  Henry,  third  Earl  of  Northumber- 
land, was  created  Baron  of  Egremont,  to  hold  to  him  and  his  heiri; 
male,  on  the  20th  November,  28  Hen. VI.  1449. 

VOL.VI.  M 


162  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1453. 

neverthelesse  we  be  credibly  enfourmed  that  ye  ne  use 
not  the  saide   astate   to  the  saide  entente  but  to  the 
contrariev  deservyng  therby  to  be  straunged  therfroo  ^ 
in  espiaB  in  that  that  notw^standing  oure  tres  late  ad- 
dressed unto  you  bering  date  at  Westm  the  xxvij.  day 
of  Jiiytt  last  passed^  by  the  whiche  we  yave  you   in 
the   straitest   wyse    in    c5maundement  upon   the    feith 
and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto  us  to  putte  downe  and 
departe  alle  suche  assemblees  and  gaderingf  of  people 
as  at  that  tyme   ye  hadde  made   and  arraised  ayenst 
oure  pees  •;  in  comocon  and  trouble  of  oure  subgittf  of 
the  contree  that  ye  dwelt  •;  in  and  to  kepe  o'  peax  j  like 
as  it  was  conteigned  in  the  same  oure  Ires  •/  ye  ne  have 
in   any   wyse   obeyed    nor   accomplysshed    oure    saide 
comaundement  ^  but  as    it   apperetR  wel   in    contempt 
therof  have   multiplied   and   daily    do    gaderynggf    of 
people  of  oure  subgittf  redy  to  goo  to  the  feld  as  by 
credible  reporte    we   have   undstande    ye   dispose  you 
fully  to  doo  as  it   were    in  lande  of  werre  •;  unto  fuH 
greet  hurt  unease  and  trouble  of  o*^  saide  countree  and 
subgittf  and  of  lyklyhode  to  destruccon  and  undoying 
therof  •;  that  God  forbede  •;  if  it  were  not  sette  apart  j 
Wherfore  we  wol  and  in  the  moost  straitest  wyse  charge 
you  as  before  that  havyng   consideracon  to  the   nonn 
observance  of  th«  contynue  of  oure  saide  tres  the  con- 
tempt that  ye  be  ronne  in  ayenst  us  in  that  behalf  and 
the  charge  that   may   be   leyde  upon  you  therfore  in 
tyme  c5myng  j  ye  in  restful!  and  peisible  wyse  departe 
sucli  people  as  ye  have  assembled  and  surseesse  of  suche 
noveiries  as  ye  have  begonne  j   keping  oure  pees   and 
makyng  it  to  be  kept  by  alle  yours  and  other  as  ferre 
as  in  you  is  4   and  that  ye  faille  not   so  to   doo  upon 


1  Vide  p.  148,  antea. 


V 


1453-3  32  HENRY  VL  163 

paine  and  forfaiteur  of  alt   that  ye  may  forfaitc  onto 

us  and  upon  the  feitb  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto 

us.     Yeven  Ic.  at  Westm  the  viij.  day  of  Octobr  the 

yere  "Xc.  xxxij. 

To  the  Lord  Egremond. 

Km  to  i  Joftn  Nevytt  knyg^t  son  to  Therle 
of  Sa^  begynnyng  at  notwitlhstandyng  1c. 

llbid,  f.  522. 

Letter  firom  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  York,  dated  24th  October, 

32  Hen.VL  1453.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  riglit  welbeloved  cousin  ^  We  sende 

imto  you   at   this   tyme   oure    trusty  and   welbeloved 

Thomas  Tyrett  knight  oon  of  o^  counsailleurs  to  whome 

we  have  comitted  certaigne  credence  to  be  opened  unto 

you  on  oure  behalf^  Wherfore  we  will  that  in  the  thingf 

that  he  shal  open  to  you  in  oure  name  ye  yeve  [unto 

him]  ful  feitXi  and  credence  v  And  for  asmuche  as  we  be 

enfourmed  that  ye  have  received  no  suche  tres  as  we 

wrote  oute  for  thassemblee  of  this  oure  Greet  Counsail 

we  sende  unto  you  by  the  said  i  Thomas  newe  tres  of 

the  same  contynue  and  tenure    that  the  rathre  were. 

Yeven  1c.  at  Westifi  the   xxiij.  day  of  Octobre   the 

yere  1c.  xxxij. 

To  the  Due  of  York. 

llbid.'] 

Instruccon  yeven  by  the   King   oure  souverein" 
lord  by  thavis  of  his  Counsail   to  Thomas 
TyreH  knight  whome  he  sendith  to  the  Due 
of  Yore  at  'ph  tyme. 

Furst  he  shal  psent  his  Ires  which  be  of  credence 
and  aftir  that  he  shal  say  that  nowe  late  the  King  for 

M  2 


164 


ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL, 


[145S. 


suche  causes  as  moeved  him  hatli  called  and  do  to  be 
assembled  a  Greet  Counsail  here  at  Westm  and  that 
amonge  othre  thingf  that  moeved  his  highnesse  oon 
was  to  sette  rest  and  union  betwixt  the  lordf  of  this 
lande  j  And  for  asmuch  as  there  hath  bee  and  yit  as  it 
is  supposed  is  variance  betwixt  hym  and  sum  othre  of 
the  lordf-/  therfor  the  King  witt  that  he  in  al  godely 
haste  dispose  and  come  to  the  said  Counsail  peasiblie 
and  mesurablie  accompanied.     Yeven  as  above. 

De  mandato  Regis  p  avisa*''*  Consilii  j  pnl" 
Diiis   Wintoii    Roffen    Norwic   Sa^ 
Lincoln  Epis^  Thes  Sudeley  Dud- 
deley  Prior  Sci  Johannis. 


-T.  Kent. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  164.     Original. 
Minutes  of  the  Council,  6th  December,  S2  Hen.VI.  1453.] 

The  vj.  day  of   Decembr  a®  xxxij**®.  H.   vj**.  it   is 
ayysed  assented  \  ordeyned  by  my  lordf  of  J>e  Kyngf 
Counsett  l?at  for  asmoche  as  cteyne  somes  of  money  of 
necessite  muste  be  hastely  pvyded  for  J?e  expenses  of  J>e 
Kyngf  hous  J>at  a   sufficiant  warant  be  made  to  my 
Lord  Chaunceller  that  he  make  as  mony  tres  patentes 
1  writtes  as  shall  mowe  be  sufficiant  necessary  \  behove- 
full  to  do ./  D.  sakkes  of  J>e  Kyngf  woll  to  be  shipped  for 
J>e  Kyng  \  in  his  name  in  carrekkes  galleys  shippes  or 
other  vesselles  and  by  suche  psones  1  in  suche  portes 
as  it  shaH  seme  moste  exspedient  and  necessary  to  my 
Lord  Tresorer   of  Engelond  for   redy    money    to    be 
hadde  j  and  l>e  seyd  woUes  so  shipped  to  be  caryect  out 
out  of  Jris  royalme  in  to  suche  parties  of  J?e  Kyngf  amite 
as  shall  be  ]>oght  to  J>e  same  psones  raoste  exspedient  for 


U58-4.]  32  HENRY  VL  l65 

^'e  sale  of  ]>e  same  j  without  eny  custume  or  subsidie 
piof  to  be  asked  claymed  or  payed  t  without  eny 
impediment  or  delay  by  reson  of  a  statut  made  in  ]>e 
Parlement  holdeil  at  Westm  and  ended  at  Wynchestre 
the  xxvij*.  yere  of  }>e  regne  of  J?e  Kyng  oure  soveyn 
lord  or  eny  other  statut  or  statutes  in  to  }>e  contrary 
made  notw^standing. 

I.  Car'  R.  York 

W.  EIbo^  Jasper 

T.  •London'  R.  Warrewyk 

W.  Wynton*  J.  Worcestre 

T.  B.  Elien'  Bourgchier. 


[Bibl.  CuttOD.  Nero,  B.  vn.  f.  2.  contemporary  copy. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Francis  duke  of  Venice,  dated  13th  March, 

32  Hen.VI.  1454.] 

Henkicus  1c.  dilecto  nobis  Francisco  de  Fuscari 
duci  Veneto^  illustri  ac  dominis  de  suo  Consilio  amicf 
nris  ex  intimis  salutem  j  lUustris  et  magnifici  viri  prin- 
cipii  '\  magnatuii  exposcit  nobilitam  vulgariq^  caritate 
stringunt'  omes  favore  psequi  quos  sibi  noverint  aliqua 
ex  parte  benevolencia  conjiictos  fore  majori  igit'  animo 
ad  eos  ptractandii  benevole  insurgere  debemus  apud  quos 
majora  merita  habent'  et  quando  pftim  in  res  egregias 
tote  Xpia**  utiles  sua  corpa  1  vires  conferre  conant' 
studeantq^  suo  piculo  alioj^  quieti  pvidere  j  verum  postq*m 
ilia  rabies  Teucrorum  adeo  in  Xpianos  infremuit  plan- 
gendaq^  tote  Xpianitati  subduccio  Constantinopolis  sit 
insecuta  magnificus  et  religiosissim^  vir  Sci  Johis  Jerlm 
Magnus  Magist  Rhodi  se  forcorem  efiicere  studens  et 
potencorein  contra  pfato^  Teucrorum  nephandum  prin- 

M  3 


166 


ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL, 


[145*. 


cipem  canem  rabidu  sangis  Xpiani  effiisione  debacatu 
statuit  aliquos  sibi  milites  ordinis  sui  ex  hoc  regno  nro 
Anglie  ad  se  evocare  qui  de  pnti  licencia  nra  ad  eum 
pperant  ham  quidm  latores  viri  utiq^  nobiles  qui  cu 
ob  piissima  causam  p  dominia  '\,  strictus  vra  it  agere 
habeant  valde  hortam''  ^  rogamus  ipos  recomissos  sus- 
cipe  velitf  quod  q*mq*m  facturi  estf  ob  zelum  que  in 
religione  Xpiana  geritf  non  dubitam^  ^  adaugeant  tamen 
favore  petimus  nre  preces  similem  consequent'  apud  nos 
instancie  vre  fructum  si  aliquando  eis  agere  decreveritf 
p  iiro  favore  subditf  vris  impendendo^  Res  ista  Deo 
grata  erit  et  nobis  in  singlare  complacencia  vris  quo% 
gravilatib3  honore  quas  felicissime  cu  pspitate  vire 
cupimus.  Scripl  apud  palaciu  nrm  Westm  xiij.  die 
Marcii  anno  1c.  xxxij°. 

Anno  mense  die  Tt  loco  [p^dcis]  Rex  de* 
avisamento  Consilii  sui  mandavit  qd 
conficerenf  tre  sub  privato  sigillo 
suo  scdm  tenore  sup*scriptu  j  pntib3 
Dnis  Duce  Eboj^  locutenenl  parlia- 
menti  Cancel!  j  Archiepo  Eboj^  •; 
Epis  London  Winton  j  Duce  Bukf 
et  aliis. 


T.  Kent. 


[BibL  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  165.  Original 
Minute  of  the  Council,  15th  March,  32  Hen.  VI.  14.54.] 

Decimo  quinto  die  Marcii  anno  Htc*.  tricesimo  secundo 
apud  Westm  in  cama  consilii  tempe  parliamenti  ad- 
visatu  \  deliberatu  fuit  p  dnos  de  Consilio  qd  Dfis 
Cancellari^  Anglie  fieri  faceret  commissioned  in  forma 


»  Letters  patent  were  accordingly  issued  on  the  6th  of  April  fol- 
lowing.    Vide  FcEdera,  vol.  xi.  p.  347. 


1454.]  32  HENRY  VI.  I67 

Magistris  Johanni  Arundett  Johanni  Faceby  et  Witttno 
Hatclyff  medicis  Magro  Roberto  Wareyil  1  Johanni 
Marchatt  cirurgicis  ad  infrascripta  libere  ministrand  et 
exequend  in  et  circa  persona  Regis  4  In  primis  qd  licite 
valeant  moderare  sibi  dieta  juxta  discreciones  suas  et 
casus  exigencia  jltemq^  in  regimine  medicinaliu  libere  sibi 
possint  ministrare  electuaria^  pociones ./ aquas  ^  siruposj 
confecl5es^  laxativas  medicinas  in  quacu%  forma  sibi 
graciori  et  ut  videbit'  plus  expedir  j  clisteria  •;  supposi- 
toria  J  capu(]p'gia  y  gargarismata  j  balnea  y  vel  univsalia 
vel  pticularia  epithimata  •;  fomentacoes  4  embrocacoes  •; 
capitf  rasura  j  unctiones  j  emptra  j  cerota  4  ventosas  j  cu 
scarificacoe  vel  sine  j  emoroida^  provocacoes  4  modis 
quib3  melius  ingeniari  poterit  1  juxta  consilia  perito^ 
medicoj^  qui  in  hoc  casu  scripserunt  vel  imposte^  scribent. 

Ordinatu  et  deliberatu  fuit  ut  sup*  dnis-| 
se  subsc^bentibus  ut  patet  4  et  man- 
dal  Custod  pVati  sigilli  qd  warrantu 
conficeret  pfaS  Cancett  ad  efFectum 
suprascriptu. 

J.  Car*'  Cant* 
W.  Eboj 
W.  Wynton* 

R.N.  DuNELMEf    R.Y0RK  H.  Bukingh'm 

T.  B.  Elien'  Jasper     R,  Warrewyk  Oxenford' 

Jo.  Wygorn'  Devon'  Talbot 

W.  Norwicen'  R.  Salisbury 

J.  Hereford'^'  Wylteshir* 

J.  Lincoln'  R-  Graystok 

R.  Covetren'  1  Licii'  W.  Faucomberge 

J.  Clynton* 

ScROP'  Stourton' 
R.  Po*"  off  Saint  Joh'ns  Bourgchier 

W.  Fynis.  Wyllughby 

M    \ 


T,  Kent. 


168  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

[BibL  Cotton.  Titus,  £.  vi.  f.  27S.    Original 
Minutes  of  the  Council,  30th  March  and  1st  April,  S2Hen.yi.  1454*3 

The  XXX**.   day  of  Marche  the  yere  1c.  xxxij**.  at 
Westm  in  the  Counsail  Chambr  tyme  of  Parlement  it  was 
advised  and  ordenned  at  the  desire  and  request  of  the 
coes  of  this  lande  that  the  right  revent  fadre  in  God 
the  Bisshop  of  Ely  for  his  greet  ifiitf  vertues  and  greet 
bloode  that  heis^  of  ^  shold  be  recomised  to  o'  holy  fadre 
the  Pope  for  to  be  pmoted  to  tharchiebisshopriche  and 
chirche  of  Cantbury  nowe  beyng  voide  by  the  deth  of 
the  moost  revend  fadre  [in  God]  Jolin  Kempe  late  car- 
dinal and  archiebisshop  of  the  said  see^  It  was  also  the 
furst  daye  of  this  moneth.  of  April!  in  the  place  above- 
said  graunted  and  ordenned  that  Maistr  William  Gray 
shold  in  semblable  wise  be  recomised  to  the  bisshopriche 
and  chirche  of  Ely  and  to  be  pmoted  therto  at  suche 
tyme  as  it  shatt  voide  by  the  t^nslacon  of  the  right  revend 
fadre  abovesaid  j  It  was  also  advised  and  assented  j  con- 
sidered the   bloode  vertue  and  cunnyng  that  Maister 
George  NeviH  sooii  to  therle  of  Salisbury  chauncefir  of 
England  is  of  ^  that  he  shold  be  rec5mised  to  the  said  holy 
fadre  for  to  be  pmoted  to  the  next  bisshopriche  that  shatt 
voide  w4n  this  reaume  j  the  pmocons  abovesaid  of  Cant- 
bury and  Ely  furst  sped  and  doon  j  and  that  hereupon,  tres 
undre  [J?e]  Kingf  pVe  seel  to  be  ordenned  and  sped. 

Anno  mensib3  dieb3etloco  sup*scriptf  ad-"| 
visatii  fuit  qd  Gustos  p^vati  sigilli  tras  t 
fieri  fac  sub  eodm  sigillo  scdm  eflcm  j       *       ^^' 
sup*scriptu  dnis  se  sbscribetib3  ut  p3.  J 


I  Thomas  Bourchier  bishop  of  Ely  was  the  third  son  of  William  earl  of 
Ewe  (by  Ann  Plantagenet,  daughter  of  Thomas  of  Woodstock   duke 
of  Gloucester,  younger  son  of  King  Edward  the  Third,)  and  brother  of 
Henry  viscount  Bourchier,  earl  of  Ewe  in  Normandy,  and  earl  of  £ssex« 


1454.] 


S2  HENRY  VI. 


169 


W.  Eboj 
T.  London' 

W.  WiNTON* 
R«  DUNELMEf 

J.  Wygorn* 
W.  Norwicen' 
J.  Lincoln' 
J.  Hkreforde 

R.  York 

H.  B(JKIN6H"M 


R,  Warrewyk' 

j.  worcestre 

Devon 

R.  Salisbury 

Beaumont 

bourgchier 


R.  P'oR  OF  Saint  Johns. 

Scales 

j.  duddeley 

Thomas^abbas  GlouS 

RiCARDUS  ABBAS  DE  BeLLO 
Joh'eS  ABBAS  DE  SeLBY 


W.  Faucomberge  W.  Fenys 
Wylteshir'  £•  Bergeyenny 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Vespasiany  F«  ziii.  f.  36*  OriginaL 
Fk*oceediDg  of  the  Council^  Ist  April,  S2  Hen.yi.  1454.] 

Henricus  '\c.  Cancellario  nro  salutem  j  Cum  de  gra 
lira  spiali  ex  assensu  et  deliberacone  Consilii  nri  con- 
cesserimus  dilecto  nobis  Magro  Thome  Manoyng  uni 
capellano^  iiroj^  decanatum  libere  capelle  nve  Sancti 
Georgii  infra  castrum  iirm  de  Wjmdesore  per  mortem 
ultimi  decani  ibidem  vacantem  j  habend  cum  suis  juribus 
et  ptinen  quibuscum^  j  vobis  mandamus  ^  tras  inde  sub 
magno  sigillo  nro  in  forma  debil  fieri  faciatis  j  Dal  sub 
p^vato  sigillo  nro  apud  Westm  primo  die  Aprilis  anno 
1c.  xxxij^®.  Anno  mense  die  et  loco  predictis  man- 
dabat'  p  avisa*^'  dci  Consilii  [Custodi  pVati  sigLlli]}  ^ 
fieri  faciat  Iras  sub  eod  sigillo  scdm  tenore  sup^cripL 

Concessii>fuit  ut  s\     T.  Kent. 


W.  Eboj 

J.  Lincoln' 

W.  Wynton' 

J.  Hereford'n' 

W.  Norwicen' 

R.  Covetren'ILich' 


R.  York 

H.  BUKINGH^M 

R.  Warrewyk 

Wylteshir 

Wyllugheby 


J.  Worcestrc 
Devon 

J.  DuDDELEY 

Beaumont 
Grey 


R.  P*o'oF  Saint  John'.  Scales 


170  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Titus,  E.  vi.  f.274.   Original. 

Minute  of  the  Council,  8th  April,  32  Hen.  VI.  1454.     Vide  Fcedera, 

vol.  xi.  p.  347.] 

In  camera  Consilii  tempe  plia**  apud  Westm  octavo  die 
Apiilis  anno  1c.  xxxij®.  religiosi  viri  Joties  Goldewell  1 
Walterus  Hertford  monachi  ecclie  Xpi  Cantuarien  pnta- 
runt  dnis  de  Consilio  Iras  Prioris  et  capiHi  dee  ecclie 
Cantuar  sub  sigillo  suo  capitulari  dno  iiro  Regi  directas 
sub  eo  qui  seq^t'  tenore  verbo^.  Magne  celsi"*^*  p'ncipi 
inr  terrenos  p^ncipes  strenuissime  dna  . .  .  dno  suo  benig- 
nissimo  dno  Henrico  Dei  gra  Regi  Anglie  t  Francie  1 
dno  Hibnie  illustri.;  sui  hmles  Tt  devoti  oratores  Tho's 
p*or  ecclie  X*  Cantuar  1  ejusd  loci  capitf^*  parati  Tt  vigil es 
revencia  oimoda  et  honore  cu  devotaj^  oraconu  sufiragiis 
q*ntii  valent  j  Cum  ecclia  nra  Can?  pdic?  p  morte  reco- 
lende  memorie  Dili  JoKis  Kempe  nup  Cant  archiepi 
quod  no  sine  dolore  et  cordis  merore  scribere  ja  urgemur 
sit  pastoris  solaco  destituta^  Regie  vre  celsi*^  humilir 
supplicamus  univsalit  singuli  et  singularir  univsi  qHinus 
eligendi  nobis  1  eccie  iire  {Pdce  futurii  pontifice  lice- 
cia  dignef  concedere^  vre  regalis  immensitas  mages- 
tatis  ad  qua  quide  licencia  a  vra  regali  sublimitate 
graciosius  et  celerius  impetrand  dilectos  ilros  confres 
1  comonachos  Jotem  Goldewell  Tt  Walterii  Hertford 
latores  pnciu  ad  vram  metuend  pnciam  destinamus  de- 
vote supplicantes  quatinus  eos  dignef  vra  clemencia 
regia  realit  1  effectualir  exaudire  j  in  eo  qui  princeps  est 
%  dris  regum  dilatetur  et  floreat  [inclitu]  regnum  vrm. 
Da?  Can?  in  domo  nra  capitulari  tercio  die  mensis  Aprilis 
anno  Dni  millo  cccc°.  quinquagesimo  quarto.  Quibus 
quidem  Iris  apertis  et  Icis  Rex  p  avisa*^*  sui  Consilii  dco 
octavo  die  Aprilis  mandavit  Custodi  pVati  sigilli  q^  fieri 


145*.]  32  HENRY  VL  I7I 

faciat  sub  eode  sigillo  Iras  CanceS  Anglie  dirigend  man- 
dando  eidem  quatinus  fieri  faciat  sub  magno  sigillo  Iras 
patentes  in  debita  forma  de  Kmoi  licencia  qua  dci  prior 
et  capitidm  p  suas  jpfatas  tras  supplicando  petunt  1c* 

W.  Eboj^  H.  Bukingh^m 

W.  Wynton*  Oxenford' 

R.  DuNELMEf  Talbot 

T.  Elien'  Devonshire 

J.  Wygorn'  J.  Pembroch 

W.  NoRwicEN*  R.  Salisbury 

J.  Herevordn'  Worcestre 

R.  Coyentrem'  1  Lieu'  Wylteshire 

R.  P*oR  of  SaintJoh'n 

R.  York  J.  Duddeley 

R.  Warrewyk  Edward  Bergevenny. 

BOUROCHIER 

Anno  die  mense  1  loco  sup*scriptis  actii^ 

fuit  ut  sup*  J  dnis  se  subscribentib3  I  t.  Kent. 
ut  patet.  J 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Vespasian,  F.  xiii.  f.  39.    OriginaL  ^^ 

Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  12th  April,  32  Hen.yi.  1454.] 

Plaise  hit  to  the  Kyng  oure  souverain  lord  by  thadvis 
of  his  Conseil  to  graunte  unto  his  humble  liege  man 
Thomas  Colt  oon  of  the  chambrelains  of  his  chequer 
his  liveree  of  clothing  and  furre  for  the  fest  of  Cristen- 
masse  last  passed  such,  as  any  of  the  said  chambrelains 
of  youre  saide  chequer  had  or  aught  to  have  had  ayenst 
the  saide  fest  j  to  bee  taken  at  youre  greet  warderobe  by 
the  handes  of  the  Keper  of  the  same  for  the  tyme  being  j 
And  ferthermore  to  graunte  to  the  saide  Thomas  yerely 


172  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [14.54. 

as  longe  as  he  shal  have  and  occupie  thbffice  of  oon 
of  the  saide  chambrelains  youre  liveree  of  clooth  furre 
and  lyneur  aswel  for  soiSe  as  for  winter  j  in  like  manie 
and  fourme  as  amplie  and  as  good  as  any  of  youre  saide 
chambrelains  hath  had  and  taken  for  that  cause  at  any 
tyme  heretofore  ^  To  bee  had  and  taken  yerely  from  tyme 
to  tyme  at  youre  saide  warderobe  by  the  saide  handes  y 
and  that  the  Keper  of  youre  privee  seel  for  the  tyme 
being  make  such  and  as  many  tres  undre  the  same  seel 
to  the  Keper  of  the  saide  warderobe  for  the  tyme  being 
for  thexecucion  of  the  premisses  as  therefore  shal  bee 
thoght  necessarie  behoveful  and  expedient. 

Duodecimo  die  Aprilis  a®  'Ic.  xxxij*°.  apud  Westm  in 

caSa  Consilii  tempe  Pliamenti  Rex  p  avisa^^  sui 

Consilii  voluit  et  mandavit  qd  Gustos  privati  sigilli 

facere  faciat  sub  eodm  sigillo  tras  in  debita  forma  ^ 

dnis  se  subscribentib3  ut  patet 

T.  Kent. 
W.  Eboj 

J.  Lincoln'  R.  Salisbury.  Ric'  abbas 

W.  NoRwicEN*  Beaumont  de  Bello 

R.  York  R.  P  of  Seint  Joh'n 

R..  Warrewyk  Wyllughby 

Wylteshir'  Bourgchier  Scales. 

Worcestre  J.  Duddeley 

W.  Faucomberge  Grey 

W.  Fenys 


''^^^'  \J^'    Minute  of  the  Council,  15th  April,  S2  Hen.VI,  1454.] 

The  XV.  day  of  Apritt  the  yere  T:c.  xxxij^.  at  Westm 
in  the  Counsaitt  Chambf  tyme  of  Parlement  the  King  by 
thadvis  of  his  Counsaitt  consideryng  that  the  vj.  day  of 


k 


U54.]  32  HENRY  VI.  I73 

Fe9e  the  said  yere  it  was  ordenned  and  avised  that 
aswett  writtf  as  prive  seele  shold  be  directed  to  the 
coUectours  of  the  xv™^  and  x"'*'.  half  xv™*.  and  x"**. 
graunted  in  the  plement  begonne  at  Redyng^  yit  en- 
during J  charging  theyme  to  paye  noe  somes  nor  tailles  of 
s5mes  assigned  for  Irland  sauf  ooiily  to  the  Tresourer  of 
England^  unto  the  lyme  yt  were  discussed  and  detennyned 
who  is  or  aught  to  be  lieutenant  of  the  said  land^ 
and  that  noo  taille  rered  for  the  said  Irland  sholde  be 
allowed  to  the  saide  recevours  y  as  it  is  conteigned  in  the 
said  acte  j  And  for  asmoche  as  it  is  nowe  aggreed  and 
accorded  undre  certaine  fourme  betwix  theym  that 
claymed  the  right  of  the  said  lieuten'ntsie  so  as  it  is 
no  lenger  to  be  doubted  whoo  owetfii  to  be  lieutenant 
there  j  the  King  by  the  said  advis  wol  and  ordenned  that 
his  Chaunceller  of  England  directe  writtf  undre  the 
greet  seal  and  the  Keper  of  his  pVe  seett  tres  undre  the 
same  seel  to  the  said  coUectours  ^  also  to  the  Tresorer  and 
Barons  of  )?e  eschequier  «  •  .  notw^tanding  the  said  furst 
c5mandementf  they  paye  and  allowe  the  said  tailles  so 
assigned  for  Irland  in  man!  and  fourme  as  the  said  tailles 
aske  and  require  and  according  to  oure  assignementf 
made  for  the  said  Irland. 

T.  B.  Eliek'  Devon  ' 

W.  NoBWICEN'  WyLTESHIR'  J-  DUDDKLEY 

R.  York  Woecestrb  Fenys 

R.  Warrewyk  Bourgchier 

R.  Salisbury  Scales 

H;  BuKiNGH^M  R.  Po'  Sci  Joh'is 


/ 


1  Vide  Rot  Pari.  vol.  v.  p.  228. 


174  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [lis*. 

[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  v.  f.  165.  Original 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  York  and  several  other  peers, 
dated  16th  April,  32  Hen.VI.  14>54<,  summoning  them  to  attend  the 
Council  at  Westminster.] 

Rtgh't  trusty  and  riglit  welbeloved  cousin  j  It  owett 
to  be  take  rigtt  negli  to  herte  to  alle  oure  true  subgittf 
and  lovers  the  nedeful  and  behoveful  p'veaunce  to  be 
had  as  wel  for  ]>e  restful  reule  of  this  oure  reaume  inne- 
ward  as  for  the  defense  p?eof  outeward  and  spially  for 
the  saufgarde  of  oure  towne  of  Calais  and  y  marches 
there  j  For  somoch^  we  have  ordenned  that  o'  CounsaiS 
for  the  goode  directon  of  the  said  matiers  shaS  in 
goodely  haste  be  assembled  at  oure  paloys  of  Westm  aft 
this  fest  of  Pasche  j  of  the  whicfi  ye  be  oon  j  therfore  we 
write  unto  you  at  this  tyme  willing  and  charging  you 
straitely  that  alle  excusacons  ceessing  ye  be  at  oure 
said  paloys  of  Westm  the  vj*^.  day  of  May  next  comyng 
there  to  entende  to  the  furthering  and  spedyng  of  the 
said  matiers  and  such  other  as  shalbe  comuned  o£  at 
youre  commyng^  And  we  wol  ye  leve  not  this  as  ye 
desire  the  weel  of  us  oure  lande  and  subgittf  and  the 
saufgarde  of  o'  said  towne  of  Calais  and  marches  of  the 
same  j  lating  you  wite  we  shal  not  thinke  that  ye  tendre 
oure  said  weel  and  worship  as  yo'  duete  is  to  doo  yf  ye 
straunge  you  to  come  at  )>at  tyme  as  oure  desire  is  ye 
sholde.  Yeven  '\c.  at  Westm  the  xvj.  day  of  Apritt  the 
yer  1c.  xxxij. 

T.  B,  Elien' 

W.  Norwicen'        R,  York 

R.  Salisbury    J.  Worcestre     Wylteshir' 

bourgchier 
Wyllughby     Clynton'     R.  Sci  Joh*is 
Scales        J.  Duddeley. 


lm.J 


32  HENRY  VI. 


175 


{The  Due  of  York 
The  Due  of  Norff 
The  Due  of  Bukf 


To 


i-  The    Archebysshop   of 
"^"l     York 

f  The  Bysshop   of  Win- 
chest 
The  Bysshop  of  Ely 
To  <  The   Bysshop  of  Nor- 
wich 
The  Bysshop  of  Chestr 
The  Bysshop  of  Lincoln 


To 


ITheErleofWarr 
Therle  of  Oxon 
Therle  of  Sa^ 
Therle  of  Worces? 
Therle  of  Shrowesbury 


{ 


To 


The  Viscont  Beaumont 
The  Viscont  Bourchier 


ThePo'  of  Saint  Johns 
The  Lord  Cromwett 
The  Lord  Sudeley 

I  The  Lord  Scales 
The  Lord  Dudley 

LThe  Lord  Stourton 


{Sir   Thom*s  Stanley 
knyght 
John  Say  squier 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Cleopatra,  F.  vi.  f.  304*,  OrigindL 

Copy  of  the  Letters  sent  by  order  of  the  Council  to  various  peers, 

dated  17th  April,  32  Hen.VI.  1454.] 

Right  trusty  and  right  welbeloved  cosin  j  We  holde  for 
certaigne  the  feith  trouth  and  love  that  ye  owe  and  here 
unto  us  to  the  vele  also  of  this  oure  reame  and  subgittf 
compelletli  you  to  put  you  in  your  ful  devoir  in  aidynge 
and  helpinge  the  jepart  and  distresse  that  oure  towne  of 
Caleis  standith  in  j  the  which  is  like  to  be  in  to  grete 


176  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454 

adaungier  w*oute  the  faveur  and  help  of  oure  trewe  sub- 

gittf  and  lovers  •/  for  as  we  be  crediblie  enfourmed  oure 

adversaries  w^  al  the  mygtit  they  can  make  dispose  in  al 

haste  to  besige  oure  said  towne  4  and  to  that  entent  have 

ordeigned  as  grete  an  armee  and  ordinaunce  to  come 

thidre  aswel  be  lande  as  by  water  as  is  to  theim  and  their 

allies  possible  and  suche  as  hath  not  be  seen  at  any  tymes  4 

Notw*standynge  we  by  the  grace  of  God  and  assistence 

of  oure  trewe  subgettf  purpose  to  w^stand  their  said 

malice  ^  and  as  toward  such  lordes  of  this  our  lande  as 

have  be  jpsent  nowe  late  in  oure  parlement  ^  thay  have 

as  kindely  tendirly  and  lovyngly  shewed  theim  unto  us  as 

evir  didde  subgettf  to  their  prince  4  evicli  of  theim  graunt- 

inge  a  notable  numbre  of  people  at  their  charge  for  the 

rescowes  of  the  said  siege  and  many  of  thaim  to  goo  in 

their  psones  j  For  somuch  we  write  unto  you  exhortinge 

desiringe  and  also  prayenge  you  th^t  ye  caliinge  to  your 

remembraunce  what  a  jeweB  the  said  towne  of  Caleis  is 

to  this  oure  reame  ^  w^  what  labour  peyii  and  outerageous 

costes  it  was  subdued  to  oure  obeisaunce  j  what  noissaunce 

it  schuld  be  [to]  us  and  alle  oure  subgettf  if  it  were  lost 

that  God  defende  y  wol  accordinge  to  thastate  that  God 

hath  sette  you  in  schewe  your  goode  wille  and  zele  that 

ye  here  unto  us  in  grauntinge  money  or  peple  for  this 

oure  grete  necessite  in  saufgarde  of  oure  said  towne  of 

Caleis  to  be  redy  at  suche  plase  as  we  schall  assigne  wHn 

XV.  dales  wamynge  j  And  we  wol  ye  certiffie  us  and  oure 

Counsaille  in  alle  possible  hast  of  that  that  ye  wol  doo  for 

us  atte  this  tyme  and  so  that  we  may  thinke  ye  tender  the 

welfare  of  us  and  the  saufgarde  of  oure  saide  towne  of 

Caleis.    Yeven  atte  Westm  the  xvij.  day  of  Apritt  the 

yeretc.  xxxij. 


1  Vide  Rot.  Pari.  vol.  v.  pp.  234*236. 


1454.] 


S2  HENRY  VI. 


177 


a  Bathon  \  Wellen 
BoTtgoren 
Wigorii 
Rofien 
Exon 
Assaven 

G  De  Burgo  Sci  Petri 
Sci  Jotiis  Colcestr 
Sci  Edmundi  de  Bury 
Sci  Albani 
De  Berdeney 
De  Selby 

Sci  Benedici  de  Hulmo 
Glaston 
De  Croyland 
De  Malmesbury 
De  Bello 
De  Salopia 
De  Cirencestria 
De  Thorney 
De  Evesh*m 

De 

De  Wynchcombe 
Sci  Augustini  Cantuar 
De  Redyng 
Prior  de  Coventr 

or  Dux  Norff 
I>ux  Exon 

c  Kichemond 
Fembrocbie 


Northumbrie 

ArundeS 

Westfit 

^  Dns  de  Groby 
Berkley 
Ponyngf 
Botreaulx 
Dacre 
Beauchamp 
Audeley 

Scrop  de  Masseh^m 
Zouche 

Scrop  de  Boltoii 
Lovett 
ClyfFord 

Grey  de  Wylton 
Wessy 
Roos 
Hoo 

Gray  Richetnond 
Saintatnond 
Egremond 
WiUughby 
Say 

Bemers 

Grey  de  Codnore 
De  la  Ware 
Straunge 
Ferrers  de  Charteley. 


man***  Regf  p  advisamentu  Consilii  sui  j 
pnl  Driis  Ebo^  Duce  Thes  CanceB 
Epis  Elien  1  Norwic  Pore  Sci  Joliis 
\  al. 


T.  Kent. 


VOL,  VI. 


N 


178  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  76.  a  modern  IVanseript. 
Letter  to  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  10th  May,  32  Hen.  VI.  1454.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cousin  j  It  is  as  it  must 
needes  be  in  youre  fresh  remembrance  the  trouble  that 
hath  of  late  tyme  be  in  the  cuntrey  there  as  ye  be  by 
occasion  of  certaigne  differences  betwix  oure  right  trusty 
and  welbeloved  cousin  th*  Erie  of  Sar  now  oure  Chan- 
celler  of  Englande^  and  the  Lord  Egremond  your  son  j  the 
which  hath  disobeied  divers  oure  commandements  sent 
unto  him  as  wel  by  writyng  as  oyerwise  in  full  straunge 
and  evile  example  to  many  other  j  with  the  which  de- 
meanyng  we  be  nothing  welle  content  but  right  gretely 
displesed  as  we  have  cause  soo  to  be  j  and  specially  in 
somuch  as  oure  peax  and  subgitts  were  and  bee  gretly 
troubled  yerwith  and  was  like  grete  inconvenience  to  have 
ensued  had  not  be  the  discrete  mediacion  of  the  moost 
reverende  fadre  in  God  th'  Archibisshop  of  York  and 
othre.     For  somuche  we  bering  in  oure  minde  the  saide 
straunge  demenyng  and  offense  to  us  and  oure  lawes 
doon  by  the  causers  of  the  saide  trouble  j  purposing  also 
to  provide  and  ordeigne  that  from  hensfurth  no  such 
things  shal  be  attempted  y  think  youre  presence  here  w^ 
us  and  our  Counsail  should  be  right  expedient.    Therfore 
and  for  such  causes  as  moeve  us  specially  the  whiche  shalbe 
shewed  and  opened  unto  you  at  your  commyng^  we  desire 
woU  and  also  charge  you  that  ye  be  w^  us  and  cure  said 
Counsail  at  our  palois  of  Westm  the  xij.  day  of  this  next 
moneth  to  here  that  shalbe  declared  unto  you  at  youre 
commyng  j    And  we  wol  ye  leve  not  this  in  enjrwise. 
Yeven  Ttc.  at  Westm  the  x.  day  of  May  the  yere  1c.  xxxij. 

To  th'  Erie  of  Northumberland. 


*  The  great  seal  was  delivered  to  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  on  the  2nd  of 
April  in  tliis  year,     Vtde  Fccdera,  vol.  xi.  p.  344- 


145*.]  32  HENRY  VL  I79 

llbid.  art.  77. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Roo8»  dated  10th  May,  32  Hen.  VI. 

1454.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  suche  causes  and 
matiers  as  specially  moeve  us  and  oure  Counsail  and 
suche  as  us  thinke  full  expedient  to  be  shewed  and 
opened  unto  you^  we  wol  and  charge  you  that  ye  be 
w^  us  and  oure  said  Counsail  at  oure  palois  of  Westm 
the  xxvij.  day  of  this  present  moneth  j  to  here  and 
understande  the  saide  matiers  the  which  at  that  tyme 
shall  more  at  large  be  declared  unto  you  ,;  And  we 
woU  that  in  noo  wise  ye  leve  this.     Yeven  as  above. 

To  the  Lord  Rosse. 

[Jbid.  art.  78.  Letter  intended  to  be  sent  from  the  King  to  Lord 
Poynings  and  Sir  Ralph  Percy,  lOth  May,  32  Hen.yL  1454. ;  but 
which  was  not  forwarded.] 

By  the  King. 

tilitten  Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  y  For  suche  causes  as 
neman-  juQgyg  ^g  and  oure  Counsail  and  suche  as  we  must  nedes 
take  hede  of  for  oure  worship  according  also  to  oure 
duetee  we  have  avised  to  have  speche  w*  you  j  For  so 
muche  we  wol  and  charge  you  that  alle  excusations 
ceassing  ye  be  w^  us  and  oure  saide  Counsail  at  oure  palois 
at  Westm  the  ij.  day  of  the  next  moneth  to  here  and 
undrestande  suche  things  as  shalbe  declared  unto  you  at 
your  commyng  j  And  we  wil  in  noo  wise  ye  leve  this 
oure  commaundement.     Yeven  \c. 

To  the  Lord  Ponyngs 
To  Rauf  Percy  knight. 

T,  B.  Ely  R.  York  Bourgchier 

J.  Worcestre  R.  Sci  Johis. 

N  2 


K. 


180  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454.. 

llbid.  art.  79. 

Letters  from   the  King  to  the  Sherifis   of  Lancashire  and  Derby, 

10th  May,  32  Hen.VL  1454.] 

By  the  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  For  certaine  causes  us  and 
our  Counsail  moevyng  we  direct  at  this  tyme  our  severall 
letters  of  prive  seel  unto  Nicholas  Langford  knight  and 
Waltier  Blount  squier  to  be  and  appere  before  us  and  our 
said  Counsail  in  all  hast  after  the  sight  of  our  said  letters^ 
the  whiche  we  sende  unto  you  hef'w*.  We  wol  therefore 
and  in  the  straitest  wise  charge  you  that  w*oute  delay  or 
tariyng^  seen  these  our  letters^  ye  make  delivrance  unto 
the  said  Nicholas  and  Waltier  of  oure  said  letters  so  as 
is  abovesaid  to  thaiin  directed  j  And  that  ye  faille  not 
herein  in  any  wise.  Yeven  \c.  at  Westm  the  x*^.  day  of 
May  the  yere  \c.  xxxij. 

Item  semble  letters  to  y*  Shirief " 
of  Lancastr  to  deliver  prive  seels 
directed  to  Thomas  Pylkyngton 
and  Piers  Legli  squiers. 


To  the  Shirrief 
of  our  countee 
of  Derby. 


IJbid.  art.  80. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Exeter,  11  May,  32  Hen.Vi. 

1454.] 
By  the  King. 

Right  tiusty  and  right  welbeloved  cousin  j  For  certaine 
considerations  us  and  oure  Counsail  specially  moeving  j 
we  wol  desire  and  also  charge  you  that  w*oute  any  faille 
ye  be  w*  us  and  our  said  Counsail  at  cure  paleis  of 
Westm  on  Thursday  next  commyng  j  to  th*  entent  that 
our  said  Counsail  may  have  communication  w*  you  in 
suche  thinges  as  at  your  commyng  shalbe  opened  unto 
you  J  and  that  ye  faille  not  in  any  wise  as  oure  trust  is 


1454.]  32  HENRY  VL 


181 


in  you.     Yeven  tc.  at  Westm  the  xj.  day  May  the  yer 
1c.  xxxij. 

To  the  Due  of  Excestr. 

Mandabatur  Custodi  privati  sigilli  litteras  fieri  facere 
secundum  tenores  suprascriptos. 

T.  Kent. 

innd.  art.  82. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  24'th  May,  S2  Hen.VI.  1454.] 

Henri  1c.  j  to  the  Tresorer  and  Barons  of  oure  esche- 
quier  gretyng  j  For  as  moche  as  by  auctorite  of  oure  last 
Parlement  begonne  at  Redyng  and  ended  at  Westm  it 
was  ordeyned  and  stablysshed  by  auctorite  of  the  same  ^ 
that  every  lord  sperituell  and  temporell  the  whiche  came 
not  to  the  said  Parlement  fro  the  xiiij.  day  of  Feverer  last 
passed  unto  ye  last  day  of  the  same  moneth  sholde  pale 
unto  us  a  certaine  somme  j  provided  that  such  as  might 
not  for  sekenesse  or  feblenesse  come  j  shold  not  be  com- 
prised in  the  said  acte  but  they  shold  paie  such  a  fyne  as 
sholde  be  thought  resonnable  to  the  lords  of  oure  CounsaiL 
as  it  is  more  at  large  expressed  in  the  saide  acte  j  And  in 
somuche  as  it  hath  be  surmysed  before  us  and  oure  said 
counsail  that  divers  lords  aswele  sperituell  as  temporell 
of  this  oure  reaume  were  soo  seeke  or  feeble  that  they 
myght  not  or  were  not  able  to  come  to  oure  said  Par- 
lement w4nne  the  tyme  specified  in  the  said  act  ^  that  is 
to  say  E.  bysshop  of  Excestr  Thomas  bisshop  of  Bathe 


^  The  Parliament  alluded  to  met  at  Reading  on  the  6th  March, 
32  Hen, VI.  1453,  and  on  the  11th  February  following  adjourned  until 
the  14th  of  that  month  to  Westminster.  Vide  Rot.  Pari.  vol.  v.  pp.  227, 
238,  239.  The  proceeding  mentioned  in  the  text  will  be  found  in 
p-  248  of  that  volume. 

N  3 


182  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [14.54. 

and  Welles  J.  bisshop  of  Roucheslx  th*  Erie  of  West- 
merlande  th'  Abbot  of  Saint  Albous  th*  Abbot  of  Berdeney 
th'  Abbot  of  Saint  Benets  of  Hulme  the  Abbot  of  Glas- 
tyngbury  th'  Abbot  of  Croyland  Edward  Gray  lord  of 
Groby  Robert  Hungerford  the  elder  knight  John  le 
Scroop  of  Massam  chivaler  William  Zouche  of  Harring- 
worth  chivaler  William  Lovell  chivaler  and  Thomas  Hoc 
chivaler^  oure  saide  Counsail  hath  take  juste  and  indifferent 
examination  of  their  saide  sekenesse  and  feeblenesse  and 
by  the  said  examination  found  that  it  was  soo  trouthe  j 
Therfore  according  to  the  saide  acte  the  saide  lordes  of 
oure  Counsaill  have  assessed  the  said  lordes  and  everich 
of  thaim  atte  fine  in  maner  and  fourme  as  foloweth  j  the 
said  Bisshop  of  Excestr  iiij".  marc^  the  Bisshop  of  Bath  and 
Welles  iiij".  marc,/  the  Bisshop  of  Rouchestx  xx.  marc^ 
th'Erle  of  Westmerlande  1.  marc.^  th' Abbot  of  Saint  Albons 
X  •  K.  y  th'  Abbot  of  Berdeney  xx,  li,  ^  th'  Abbot  of  Saint 
Benets  of  Hulme  xx.  ti.  j  th*  Abbot  of  Glastyngbury  xL  IL  ^ 
th' Abbot  of  Croyland  xxx.Ii.  j  Edward  Gray  lord  of  Groby 
XX.  li.y  Robert  Hungerford  y'elder  knight  xx.  ti.j  John  le 
Scroop  of  Massam  chivaler  xl.  marc  y  William  Zouche  de 
Harryngworth  chivaler  xl.  marc  ^  William  Lovell  chivaler 
xl.  marc  j  and  Thomas  Hoo  chivaler  xx.  li.  j  the  which 
assessyng  of  fynes  soo  made  by  the  said  lordes  of  oure 
Counsaill  we  sende  and  notifie  unto  you  to  th'  entent  that 
ye  precede  to  the  leveye  therof  and  to  all  oyer  things 
that    apperteigneth    unto  you   in  that  behalf.     Yeven 
\c.  at  Westm  the  xxiiij.  day  of  May  ^  the  yere  Ttc.  xxxij. 

W.  Ebo^  Nortf 

W.  Wynton  R.  Salisbury 

T.  B.  Elieii  Oxenford 

W.  Norwicen  J.  Worcestre 

J.  Lincoln  R.  S**  Johis 

Stourton 


1454v]  32  HENRY  VI.  183 

Anno  mense  die  et  loco  prasdicl  Rex  de  avisamento 
dominorum  de  Consilio  suo  suprascrip{  mandavit 
Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui  fieri  facere  litteras  sub 
eodem  sigillo  secundum  tenorem  praenotaL 

T.  Kent 

llbid.  art.  83. 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  27th  May,  32  HemVL  1454^] 

To  the  right  honorable  and  most  discret  Councell  of 
the  Kyng  oure  soverayne  lord. 

Sheweth  unto  youre  right  honorable  and  wyse  discre- 

cyons  John  due  of  Norfolk  that  where  atte  shire  for  to 

be  holden  at  Yepeswych  in  the  shire  of  Suff  the  Munday 

next  after  the  fest  of  Seynt  Volantyne  last  passed  ^  ther 

come  divers  servauntz  and  tenantz  of  the  seide  Due  to 

the  election  of  the  knyghtes  of  the  shire  for  the  last 

Parlement  ther  for  to  have  yoven  ther  voyse  to  the 

knyghtes  of  the  shire  after  the  lawe  of  this  lande  there  \/ 

Thomas  Sharnburn  at  that  tyme  shereve  of  the  seide 

shire  ymagynyng  and  purposyng  to  make  knyghtes  of 

the  shire  aftyr  his   owne   intent    and  for  his  syngler 

covetyse  and  to  hurt  the  servants  and  tenants  of  the 

seide  Due  j  hath  retoumed  in  the  Comen  Place  a  rescous 

of  many  and  divers  servants  and  tenants  of  the  seide 

Due  whose  names  be  annexed  to  this  bylle  j  surmyttyng 

be  hys  retourn  that  his  officers  durst  not  holde  the  shire 

afbreseide  be  cause  of  manas  and  thretes  made  to  hys 

officers  as  he  retourned  in  the  Comen  Plase  aforesaide  j 

where  that  the  seide  servants  and  tennants  of  the  seide 

Due  made  never  no  suych  maner  of  fors  rescous  nor 

1  February  18th. 
N  4 


184  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

manas  as  the  seide  sherreve  hath  retoumed  ^  but  that  thei 
pesibely  kome  to  the  shire  hous  for  the  election  of  the 
knyghtes  of  the  shire  after  the  lawe  of  this  lande^ 
Wherefore  please  it  youre  right  wyse  and  noble  discre- 
sions  to  sende  oure  soverajme  lordys  letters  to  the 
justicez  of  the  Comen  Place  commandyng  them  to 
admytte  alle  the  servants  and  tennants  of  the  seide 
Due  conteined  in  the  seide  bylle  to  apper  by  attoume 
and  to  answer  be  attoume  j  consyderyng  that  full  many 
of  the  seide  servants  and  tennants  which  ar  innocent 
persones  be  retoumed  in  the  seide  rescous  ayens  all 
maner  of  reson  and  consciens  j  of  the  which  diverse  and 
many  were  not  there  at  that  tyme  as  shall  suffisauntly  be 
proved  atte  reverens  of  God  and  in  the  weye  of  charite. 

W.  Ebof  R.  Salisbury 

W.  Wynton  J.  Worcestre  Bourgchier 

T.  B.  Elien  R.  Sci  Joliis  Stourton 

W.  Norwyceii  Dudeley 

J.  Lincoln 

{In  dorso.)  In  palacio  Westm  xxvij**.  Maii  anno  1c;  xxxij**«> 
Rex  de  avisamento  sui  Consilii  ^  praesentibus  dominis 
inirascriptis  j  mondavit  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui  fieri 
facere  sub  eodem  sigillo  litteras  in  forma  prout  infra 
petitur  1c. 

T.  Kent. 

llbid.  art.  84. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Lords  Spiritual  and  Temporal,  dated 
29th  May,  and  apparently  in  the  32nd  Hen. VI.  1454.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  right  welbeloved  cousin^  For  as 
moche  as  oure  enemyes  with  alle  the  meens  that  thay 
canne  labour  daily  to  doo  alle  the  noissance  thay  can 


1454.] 


32  HENRY  VL 


185 


ymagine  to  us  and  oiire  people  and  for  that  eutent  have 
oowe  late  sette  a  greet  armee  upon  the  see  j  as  we  doubte 
Dot  to  some  greet  purpoos  j  and  byside  that  daily  besy 
thaime  to  puUe  from  us  oure  towne  of  Calais  ^  We  there- 
fore and  for  other  causes  concernyng  the  defense  of  this 
oure  reaume  outeward  and  the  restefull  and  polliti%  reule 
therof  inwarde  have  by  th'advis  of  oure  Counsaill  ap- 
pointed and  concluded  the  calling  of  a  Greet  Counsaill 
as  wel  of  lordes  as  other  to  discretely  provide  for  the 
matiers  abovesaid  j  For  so  muche  we  wol  and  charge  you 
that  ye  come  and  be  w*  us  at  oure  palois  of  Westmynstre 
where  oure  said  Counsaill  shalbe  assembled  the  xxv.  day 
of  the  nexth  moneth  there  to  yeve  youre  good  avis  in  the 
said  inatiers  and  suche  other  as  shalbe  opened  unto  you 
at  that  tyme  j  and  we  wol  in  no  wise  ye  leve  this  as  ye 
desire  the  welfare  of  us  our  landes  and  subgitts.  Yeven 
\z.  at  Westm  ye  xxix,  day  of  May. 


ArcRus  Ebof 

Meneven 

Cestren 

Wynton 
London 

Roffen 
AssaveSi 

Bathofi  et  Welleii 

Lincoln 

Dux  Ebor  protector  Ttc. 

Elien 

Dux  Norff 

Dunolm 

Dux  Exon 

Norwiceii 

Dux  Buck 

Bangoreii 
Karliol 

Richemond    "^ 

Chicestren 

.Epi 

Pembroch 

Hereford 

Warrewic 

Sar 

Northumbr 

Wigorn 
Landaven 

• 

Devon 
Arundett 

188 


ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL, 


[1454. 


Sar 

Oxon 

Salop 

Wigorn 

Wiltshir 

Beaumont 
Bourgchier 


Comites 


} 


Vicec 


Prior  Sci  Joliis 

Cromwell 

Grey  Ruthin 

Grey  Groby 

Berkley 

Grastoke 

Ponyngs 

Botreaux 

Dacre 

Beauchamp 

Audeley 

Zouch  de  Harringworth 

Scroop  de  Bolton 

Clynton 

Lovell 

Bergevenney 

Clifford 

Scales 


^   Barones 


Grey  of  Wilton  ^ 
Stourton 
Fitzwaren 
Boneville 
Vescy 
Roos 
Sudeley 
Hoo 

Grey  de  Rich- 
mond 
Saintamouud 
Duddeley 
Say 
Willughby 


Sir  William  Lucy  1 
Thomas  Tyrell      I 
Thomas  Stanley      ^  Knights 
Thomas    Haring- 
ton 


W.  Ebor  W.  Wynton  W.  Norwicen 

J.  Lincoia  Norff  R.  Salisbury 

J.  Worcestre        Bourgchier        R,  Sci  Johis 


J454-]  32  HENRY  VI.  I87 

Anno  mense  die  et  loco  supradictis  Rex  per  avisa- 

mentum  sui  Consilii  voluit  et  mandavit  Custodi 

privati  sigilli  sui  quod  fieri  faceret  litteras  sub 

eodem  sigillo  in  forma  praedicta^  dominis  sub- 

scribentibus  ut  patet. 

T.  Kent. 

llbid.  art.  86. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  29th  May,  32  Hen.VI.  1454.] 

Henry  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  England  and  of 
Fraunce  and  lord  of  Irland  j  to  the  Tresorer  and  Barons 
of  oure  eschequier  greting  j  For  asmoche  as  by  auctorite 
of  oure  last  Parlement  bygonne  at  Redinge  and  ended 
at  Westm  it  was  ordeyned  and  stablished  by  auctorite  of 
the  same  that  every  lord  sperituel  and  temporel  the 
whiche  came  not  to  the  said  Parlement^  from  the  xiiij. 
day  of  Feverer  last  passed  unto  the  last  day  of  the  same 
moneth  shoulde  pay  unto  us  a  certain  somme  j  as  it  is 
more  at  large  expressed  in  the  said  acte  j  the  whiche  we 
have  sent  unto  you  by  a  mittimus  undre  oure  grete  seel 
w^  the  names  of  suche  as  came  not  to  oure  said  Parlement 
w*in  the  tyme  specified  in  the  saide  acte  j  whereupon  ye 
make  processe  out  of  oure  said  eschequer  according  to 
oure  commaundement  j  and  amonges  othre  ayenst  oure 
right  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Lord  Say  for  xl.  li.  j  but 
it  is  so  as  we  have  welle  called  to  oure  remembraunce 
that  the  said  Lord  Say  was  not  soo  absent  but  within  the 
saide  tyme  was  with  us  and  with  othre  lordes  of  oure 
Parlement  present  in  the  same,/  as  it  is  also  proved  bifore 
oure  Counsaill  y  We  woUe  and  charge  you  that  ye  sur- 
ceesse  of  al  maner  of  processe  made  or  to  be  made 
ayenst  the  said  Lord  Say  by  vertue  of  the  said  acte  and 


1  Vide  Rot.  Pari.  vol.  v.  p.  248  ;  and  p.  181,  antea. 


\ 


188  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

of  the  said  summe  and  every  part  therof  discharge  and 
acquite  the  said  Lord  Say  his  heirs  and  executours  ayenst 
otire  heirs  and  successours  for  evermore  ^  the  said  acte  or 
any  othre  to  the  contrary  made  or  to  be  made  not  with- 
stand3nig.  Yeven  'tc.  at  Westm  the  xxix.  day  of  May  the 
yere  Ttc.  xxxij. 

W.  Ebo^ 

W.  Wyntoa  R.  Salisbury 

W,  Norwiceii  J.  Worcestre 

J.  Lincoln  Bourgchier 

Decanus  Sancti  Severini  R.  Sci  Johis. 

Praedictis  die  anno  mens  et  loco  Rex  per  avisamentum 
sui  Consilii  mandavit  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui 
quod  fieri  faceret  litteras  sub  eodem  sigillo  in 
forma  prasdicta^  dominis  se  subscribentibus  ut 
patet. 

T.  Kent. 

[Ibid.  No.  4606.  art.  49. 
Proceeding  of  the  Council,  31st  May,  32  Hen.VI.  1454.] 

In  the  Sterred  Chambre  at  Westm  the  last  day  of  May 
the  yere  1c.  xxxij.  it  was  ordeigned  and  avised  by  the 
lords  of  oure  souverain  lord's  Counsail^  that  notwith- 
standing  that  in  tyme  passed  the  Chaunceller  of  the 
duchie  of  Lancastre  of  that  part  that  is  putte  in  fefiement 
hadde  in  commaundement  from  oure  said  soverain  lord 
not  to  receyve  any  letter  for  his  warrant  of  any  thing  to 
be  spedde  by  him  under  any  seel  saufe  the  signet  of  the 
Egle  oonly^  the  prive  seel  shall  from'hensforth  be  suffi- 
cient warrant  unto  the  said  Chaunceller  of  the  said  part 
of  the  said  duchie  unto  the  time  oure  said  souverain 
lord  otherwise  yeve  him  in  commaundement  j  and  that 


1454.]  S2  HENRY  VI.  189 

he  receive  nor  obey  any  other  lettre  for  his  warrant  but 
the  prive  seel. 

W.  Ebor  R.  Salisbury 

W.  Winton  J.  Worcester 

W.  Norwicen  H.  Bourgchier 

J.  Lincolii  R.  Sancti  Joiiis 

C.  privati  sigilli  J.  Duddeley 

Decanus  Sancti  Severini  J.  Say 

Exemplificatum  fuit  xxx"^®.  die  Maii  anno  xxxij****. 

T.  Kent 

[Ibid.  No.  461 1.  art.  87. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Duke  of  Exeter.  To  this  article  the 
date  of  the  3rd  June,  32  Hen. VI.  HS^,  is  assigned ;  and  although  the 
authority  for  doing  so  does  not  appear,  that  date  is  presumed  to  be 
correct.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  cosin  j  We  understande 
to  oure  grete  displesour  the  haynous  ungodely  and  un- 
godly disposition  and  gouvernaunce  that  ye  be  of  y  right 
full  unsittyng  to  youre  estate  and  birthe  youre  selfe  can 
remembre  youre  demeanyng  w*ine  oure  cite  of  Yorke  not 
long  agoo  J  \vhat  presumption  ye  toke  upon  you  there  as 
it  is  said  usurping  other  power  than  was  yeven  to  you  by 
us^  what  langage  ye  hadde  there./  what  cries  ye  have  doo 
made  in  sondry  places  j  what  people  ye  have  assembled 
ayenst  oure  lawes  and  pees^  in  what  wise  ye  rode  w* 
standards  displeied  full  outrageously  and  indiscreetly./ 
what  sedicious  letters  ye  have  writen  as  wel  to  oure  right 
trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Baron  of  Graystoke  as  the 
communes  of  oure  shires  of  Lancastre  and  Chest?  ^  how 
also  ye  have  entreted  oure  welbeloved  servant  Gartier 
that  came  to  you  w*  oure  letters  the  whiche  it  hadde  be 


190  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

your  parte  to  have  received  w*  reverence  rather  than  to 
have  doo  pulled  thaim  from  the  berer  weyth  in  your  con- 
sideration wheyere  this  sitteth  to  your  estate  and  birth 
feith  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto  us  or  noo  4  not 
w^standing  sinth  ye  be  disposed  in  such  wise  we  most 
provide  to  sette  aparte  youre  wilfullnesse  as  we  soo 
will  doo  w^  Godds  grace  and  in  such  wise  as  it  shalbe 
example  to  other  y  For  somoche  we  wol  and  charge  you 
upon  the  faith  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto  us  that 
ye  surceesse  of  youre  said  behavyng  and  attempte  noo 
thing  that  may  sowne  or  be  to  the  breche  of  oure  pees 
or  lawes.  And  over  that  that  ye  come  and  be  with  us 
and  oure  Counsail  at  oure  palois  of  Westin  the  xxv,  day 
of  this  moneth^  there  to  answere  to  such  things  as  shalbe 
declared  unto  you  at  your  commyng. 

To  the  Due  of  Excestre. 


\Ih%d.  art.  88.    Letter  from  the  King  to  Lord  Egremonty  and  appa« 
rently  also  written  on  the  3rd  June,  32  Hen. VI.  1454-3 

By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  y  We  mervaille  greetly 
that  ye  having  neiyer  consideration  ne  regarde  to  the 
favour  that  we  have  shewed  unto  you  4  to  the  worship 
that  we  have  sette  you  inne  j  nor  to  the  faithe  that  ye 
owe  unto  us^  wol  or  dar  presume  to  take  upon  as  ye 
doo  and  feere  not  to  disobeye  us  oure  auctorite  and 
lawes  y  demeanyng  you  ful  strangely  ayenst  oure  pees 
makyng  assembles  of  oure  people  and  doyng  many 
other  things  longe  to  reherce  right  greetly  to  oure  dis- 
plesour^  Wherefore  we  wol  and  charge  you   upon  the 


I  It  appears  by  the  article  in  p.  185,  anteay  that  a  Great  Council  was 
to  be  held  at  Westminster  on  the  25th  June. 


1454.]  32  HENRY  VI.  191 

feith  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto  us  that  ye  surceese 
of  youre  said  demeanyng  and  departe  suche  gaderings 
as  ye  have  made  and  in  nowise  from  hensforth  by  youre 
self  or  any  of  yours  doo  or  suffire  to  be  doo  any  thing 
that  may  sowne  or  be  ayenst  oure  pees  and  lawesy 
and  over  that  that  ye  come  and  be  with  us  and  oure 
Counsaile  at  oure  paloys  of  Westm  the  xxv.  day  of 
this  moneth  there  to  answere  to  suche  things  as  shalbe 
declared  unto  you  at  your  commyng. 

To  the  Lord  Egremond. 


[Ibid.  art.  89.    Letter  from  the  King  to  Richard  Percy,  apparently 

dated  on  the  3rd  June,  32  Hen. VI.  1454'.] 

By  the  King. 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  Sith  it  is  soo  that  ye  entende 
to  suche  govemaunce  and  rule  as  ye  be  of  the  whiche 
is  right  straunge  and  unsitting^  we  must  of  reason  gredey 
be  displesed  w^  you  as  we  have  causes  and  so  muche 
the  more  that  youre  unrestfull  and  unlawful!  demeanyng 
is  a  full  perilous  ensample^  namely  to  other  of  light 
disposition  j  For  somoche  we  wol  and  charge  you  upon 
the  feith  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto  us  that  ye 
setting  aside  youre  wilfuUnesse  surceesse  of  alle  gaderings 
and  assemblees  and  alle  other  thing  that  may  sowne  or 
be  to  the  hurt  of  oure  pees  j  and  also  that  ye  come 
and  be  with  us  and  oure  Counsaill  at  oure  paloys  of 
Westfil  the  xxv.  day  of  this  present  moneth  there  to 
answere  to  suche  things  as  shalbe  declared  unto  you 
at  your  commyng. 

To  Richard  Percy. 


192  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

llbid.  art.  91.     Letter  from  the  King  to  Sir  Nicholas  Longford^  knight, 
and  Thomas  Pylkyngton,  esq.,  3rd  June,  32  Hen. VI.  1454.] 

By  the  KingI 

Trusty  and  welbeloved  j  Where  as  now  late  we  wrote 
unto  you  oure  oyere  letters  neverthelees  we  be  en- 
four  med  that  ye  straunged  to  receyve  thaire 

the  berer  therof  straungely^  wherof  we  merville ./  for 
soo  moche  and  suche  as  it  is  said  ye  by  you  and  suche 
other  gadered  unto  you  have  committed  divers  riotts 
and  do  oyere  things  contrarie  to  oure  pees  j  we  wol 
and  charge  you  that  ye  come  and  appere  before  us  and 
oure  Counsaill  the  xxv.  of  this  present  moneth  there 
to  answere  to  the  premises  and  suche  oyere  things  as 
shalbe  declared  unto  you  at  youre  commyng  j  charging 
you  also  upon  the  payne  of  m^  li.  that  ye  attempte 
noo  thing  ayens  oure  pees  in  the  meane  tyme  by  you 
nor  noon  of  yours.    Yeven  at  Westm  the  iij.  day  of  Juyn. 

To  S'  Nicholas  Longford  knight. 
To  Thomas  Pylkyngton  squier. 
By  the  King. 
Trusty  and  welbeloved./    Not  w*standyng  we  wrote 
unto  you  late  to  have  come  to  us  and  oure  Counsaill 
y it  ye  did  not  soo  for  asmoche  and  sith  as  it  is  said  ye  \c. 

ut  supra  usq^  ad  finem. 

To  Walter  Blount  squier. 
W.  Norwicen 

J.  Lincolii  R.  Salisbury 

J.  Duddeley. 

Anno  mense  die  et  loco  praedic?  Rex  de  avisamento 
Consilii  sui  prassentibus  dominis  suprascriptis  man- 
davit  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sui  fieri  facere  litteras 
sub  eodem  sigillo  secundum  tenores  superius  de- 
scripl  1c. 

T  Kent. 


1454.]  32  HENRY  VI.  I93 

It  is  to  be  remembred  that  letters  were  writen  of  the 
tenoures  abovesaid  both  with  the  stiles  and  withoute 
stiles  J  and  the  v.  day  of  Juyn  in  the  Sterre  Chambre «/ 
the  said  letters  brought  thider  4  my  Lord  Chanceller  toke 
to  be  sente  forth  the  letters  withoute  stiles  and  ye  oyer 
letters  were  not  delivered. 


[Additional  MS.  4610.  art.  40.  a  modern  Transcript. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Abbot  of  Hulme^  dated  5th  June,  and 

apparently  in  the  32  Hen.  VI.  1454.] 

By  the  King. 

Right  dere  in  God^  For  as  moche  as  we  be  en- 
fourmed  that  the  Lord  Egremond  accompaigned  of 
other  of  like  disposition  as  he  is «/  not  remembring  the 
state  and  worship  that  we  have  sette  him  inne^  the 
feith  trouth  and  obeissance  that  he  oweth  unto  us^ 
neither  the  observance  ne  paine  of  oure  lawes  ordeigned 
ayenst  the  brekers  therof  ^  hath  now  late  made  and  dayly 
maketh  greet  assembles  of  oure  lige  people  in  the  contre 
aboute  you  and  other  places  there  v  and  over  that  of  his 
owne  presumpsion  w*  oute  any  autoritee  or  power  from 
us  maketh  divers  and  strange  proclamations  to  stirre 
oure  trewe  subgittes  into  rebellion  and  breking  of  oure 
lawes  and  pees  j  by  the  wiche  ful  greet  inconvenience 
were  like  to  ensewe  j  that  God  defeiide^  if  it  so  sholde  be 
sufired  j  We  therfore  by  thees  oure  letters  wol  and 
straitely  charge  you  that  in  nowise  by  you  ne  noon  of 
youre  servants  or  tenants  or  other  that  in  any  wise 
belong  unto  you  ye  yeve  or  do  or  suffre  to  be  yeve  or 
do  any  favour  assistence  confort  or  help  unto  the  said 
Lord  Egremond  nor  noon  of  his  or  of  his  opinion  what 
ever  thai  be  w  but  straitely  charge  the  saide  youre  servants 

VOL.  YI.  o 


194  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  £1454 

and  tenants  to  absteigne  thaim  therfro  j  doing  alle  the 
diligence  that  belongeth  unto  you  for  the  ceesing  and 
setting  downe  of  the  said  assemblees  and  misgouvernancey 
and  that  ye  leve  not  this  upon  the  feith  and  ligeance  that 
ye  owe  unto  us.    Yeven  'Ic  at  Westm  the  v.  day  of  Juyn. 

To  the  Abbot  of  Hulme. 

IBnd.  art.  4L] 
By  the  King. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  j  Forasmoche  as  we  be 
enformed  that  the  Lord  Egremond  accompaigned  of 
other  of  like  disposition  as  he  is  j  not  remembring  the 
state  and  worship  that  we  have  sette  him  inne^  the  feith  1c. 
ut  supra  usq^  ibi  oure  lige  people  tunc  sic  in  oure  countee 
of  Westmerland  wherof  ye  by  inheritance  be  sherrief 
and  in  other  places  in  coutre  aboute  you  j  and  over  that 
Ic.  ut  supra  usq^  ibi  be  suffred  tunc  sic  j  Wherfore  we  wol 
and  straitly  charge  you  that  ye  putte  you  in  suche  devoir 
and  diligence  that  by  you  noon  of  yours  nor  noon  of 
oure  subgitts  of  the  saide  contre  as  ferre  as  it  shal  mowe 
lye  in  youre  power  any  favour  assistance  confort  or  help 
be  yeven  unto  the  said  Lord  Egremond  nor  noon  of  his 
or  of  his  opinion  what  soever  thai  be  j  but  by  alle  wayes 
possible  to  you  do  your  labour  and  besinesse  for  the 
ceesing  and  settinge  downe  of  the  said  misgovemance 
and  assembles  j  and  that  unto  oure  right  trusty  and 
right  entierly  welbeloved  cousin  the  Due  of  York  pro- 
tectour  and  defensour  of  this  oure  reaume  whom  by 
th'avis  of  our  Counsail  we  have  ordeigned  to  adresse 
him  thider  as  it  shal  bethought  expedient  for  w^tanding 
and  breking  of  the  said  assemblees  j  and  ye  w^  alle  the 
power  that  ye  canne  make  yeve  herein  and  in  al  other 
thinges  that  shalbe  thought  to  him  wol  serve  to  the 
same  j  assistence  help  and  aide  j  as  we  doubte  not  ye  wol 


I4M.]  32  HENRY  VI.  I95 

according  to  the  feith  and  ligeance  that  ye  owe  unto 
us  when  ye  shalbe  hi  him  required  j  and  this  as  oure 
singuler  trust  is  on  you  and  as  ye  tendre  the  welfare  of 
us  and  of  alle  this  oure  lande.    Yeven  1c.  ut  supra. 

To  the  Lord  ClyfTord. 

[JU0L  No.  4611.  art.  112.  a  modern  TrantcripL 
Letter  from  the  King  to  Walter  Duredant  of  Buckioghamshirey  dated 

5th  June,  32  Hen. VI.  1454k] 

By  the  King. 
W£LB£L0V£O^  For  certaine  grete  causes  and  consi- 
derations  suche  as  moeve  us  and  oure  Counsail  specially  4 
we  wol  by  th'avis  of  the  same  oure  Counsail  and  straitly 
charge  you  that  alle  other  thinges  lefle  and  excusations 
ceesing  ye  be  before  us  and  oure  said  Counsail  atte 
oure  paloys  of  Westm  the  morwe  next  after  the  feste  of 
Saint  John  Baptiste  next  commyng*  to  answere  unto 
suche  matiers  as  shalbe  shewed  unto  you  at  youre 
comyngy  and  that  ye  faille  not  upon  paine  of  ccti. 
Yeven  Ttc.  at  Westm  the  v.  day  of  Juyn. 

To  oure  welbeloved   Waltier   Duredent  of 
the  countee  of  Bukingham. 

De  mandato  Regis  per  avisamentum  Consilii. 

Langport. 


[Bibl.  Cotton.  Vespasian,  C  xiv.  f.520*  conXemporary  MS. 

Letter  from  the  King  to  the  Major  and  Aldermen  and  inhabitants  of 

York  and  tiull,  32  Hen.VL  1454.] 

By  the  Kyng. 

Right  trusty  and  welbeloved  y  We  grete  you  hertely 
iveB  J  latyng  you  wite  we  have  right  wett  understande 


1  25th  June. 
O  2 


196  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454* 

by  certaine  writinges  of  our  Tight  trusty  and  rigtit  en- 
tierly  welbeloved  cousin  the  Due  of  York  protectoure 
and  defensoure  of  this  oure  reaume  j  the  straunge  and 
unsittyng  demeanyng  of  the  Due  of  Excestre  the  Lord 
Egremond  and  Richard  Percy  amonge  you  nowe  late 
w4ii  our  citee  of  York^  the  whicR  we  take  to  our  ful 
grete  displesire  as  we  muste  nedes.  doo  j  and  somoche 
the  more  that  thay  p^sumptuously  toke   upon  theyme 
oure  auctoritee  and  powaire  to  coloure  therwitt   ferre 
sougM  ymaginacons  •/  for  it  was  nevir  oure  entente  or 
wille  that  thay  or  any  of  thaime  sholde  on  oure  behalf 
say  or  utt  unto  you  suche  thingf  as  they  dide  j  Notwith- 
standyng  thaire  said  ungodely  behavyng  hatR  putte  into 
experience  and  proff  your  faithe  and  trouthe  towardes  us  j 
the  tendernesse  good  zele  and  love  that  ye  here  unto 
the  welfar  of  us  and  oure  peple  and  to  the  restefuff 
reule  of  this  oure  lander  witft   this  also  youre  wyse 
discrete  sadde   and  manly   beryng  oute  of  your  saide 
trouthe  at  this  tyme  in  withstandyng  and  puttyng  aside 
the  wylfulnesse  of  the  said  Due  and  other  shalbe   to 
you   a   perpetueff   laude    and   commendacon    a    noble 
meroure  and  a  gentill  example  to  alt  oure  trewe  sub- 
gittf  J  and  for  oure  part  we  wol  ye  understande  we  be 
asweS  contente  and  plesed  w^  your  said  sadnesse  and 
manhode  as  we  can  be  and  rigtt  joyful!  that  we  fynde 
you  soo  feithfutt  subgittf  unto  us  j  thankyng  you  with 
alt  our  herte  of  yo"^  said  behavyng  as  we  have  cause  to 
doo  ^  and  also  to  shewe  you  favour  in  suche  thingf  as  ye 
shal  herafter  sue  unto  us  forev  willing  and  desiring  you  that 
ye  contynue  yo'  said  godewilles  and  feithe  at  alt  tymes 
hereafr  towardes  usv  as  we  doubte  not  ye  wolt^  Over 
this  we  can  you  right  gode  thanke  that  ye  w*  att  rev- 
ence  and  worship  full  connyngly  and  joyfully  recey  ved 
at  his  comyng  our  said  cousin  the  Due  of  York  protectouf 


1454.1  32  HENRY  VI.  IffJ 

and  defensoure  of  this  our  lande  j  wherin  ve  have  doo 

unto  us  light  grete  pleasaunce  and  f  iil  agreable  €vice  for 

the  whic&  also  we  shal  have  you  in  espial  remembraunce.. 

Yeven  1c. 

To  o""  rigBit  trusty  and  welbeloved  the  Mayre 

aldremen  [shirrefff  ]  and  thinBiitantf  of  o*^ 

cite  of  York. 

Km  semble  mutatf  mutandf  to  the  Maire  al- 
dremeii  and  inliitantf  of  o'  towne  of  Hull. 


[Additional  MS.  4611.  art.  75.   a  modern  Tratucripi* 
Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,  5th  July,  32  Hen. VI.  1454^} 

To  the  Kyng  oure  souverain  lord  and  to  his  full 
noble  and  solene  Conseil. 

Shewith  and  declareth  to  youre  hieghnesse  Piers  de 
Merlanes  and  his  feliship  youre  trewe  legemen  of  Gas- 
coign  he  how  by  cause  of  the  perdiction  of  your  citee 
of  Burdeux  and  of  youre  countree  aboute  j  whiche  of 
olde  tyme  has  been  ever  youre  trewe  enheritaunce  and 
obeissance  to  youre  corone  j  thay  ben  comen  into  this 
realme  as  well  to  proffre  thair  service  to  youre  said 
hieghnesse  as  to  mekely  by  seke  youre  full  graciouse 
consideration  to  be  had  of  the  service  thay  did  to  your 
said  hiegnesse  or  th'Erle  of  Shrosbury  and  his  feliship 
entred  into  youre  said  citee  .^  and  for  the  understanding 
and  menes  yat  thay  knowe  howe  your  saide  citee  might 
be  sonest  reduced  to  youre  said  obeissance  they  ben  all 
redy  at  what  tyme  youre  ordinance  and  provision  shall 
procede  to  the  wynnyng  agayn  therof  to  do  thair  devoir  y 
youre  said  graciouse  consideration  had  of  thair  service 
yat  is  passed  and  yat  is  to  come  and  how  thair  enprinse 
by  the  grace  of  God  shal  be  profitable  and  expedient 

o  3 


198  ACTS  OF  PRIVY  COUNCIL,  [1454. 

to  youre  conquest  in  presence  of  suche  persones  as 
understand  the  maner  therof  when  it  shal  like  youre 
bieghnesse  thay  ben  redy  to  declare* 

Habita  consideratione  ad  servitia  et  voluntatem  supe- 
rius  ostensa  domini  de  Consilio  volunt  quod  dcus 
Petrus  habeat  per  viam  regardi  hac  vice  ?m  x.  K* 

W.  Ebor 

W.  Wynton  R.  Salisfeury 

J.  Lincoln  R.  Sa  JoWs 

W.  Norwicen  J.  Duddeley 

Decanus  Sancti  Severini  John  Say. 

Emanarunt  litterae  de  x.  ti.  hoc  quinto  die  Julii  anno 
\c.  xxxij^^ 

(In  dorso.)  Did  die  et  loco  prsdicZ  Rex  de  avisamento 
Consilii  sui  mandavit  Custodi  privati  sigilli  sai  litteras 
conficere  sub  eodem  sigillo  de  x.  }i.  ut  supra. 

T.  Kent 

llbid.  art.  92.    Petition  to  the  King,  with  the  Answer,   10th  July, 

32  Hen. VI.  1454.] 

To  the  King  our  soverain  lord. 

Mekely  besechith  your  highnesse  Rauf  Cromwell 
lord  Cromwell  that  where  oon  Robert  Colynson  preest 
of  his  grete  untrouth  cursed  malice  and  evill  disposition 
without  cause  or  matier  of  cause  late  made  grevous  com- 
pleintz  of  your  said  besecher  to